Learning to Human
by TehGramerPolise
Summary: A semblance is a reflection of a person's soul. So what does it mean if your semblance is to absorb and use Grimm to modify yourself? Jaune discovers his semblance early, and goes through a less than pleasant childhood. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Grisaia and .hack elements. No fixed ship. First fic.
1. Prologue

**Greetings, Mithos here. This is the first fanfic I've written. I have had this idea for awhile now, but I finally decided to write it down and work on it, now time I have time during break. I really enjoy the RWBY universe, and I love characters that are strong with their own weird, unique quirks, like in Grisaia. I feel bad that Jaune always had the potential to be that character, but never quite got there, and so this story hopefully rectifies that. I have plans for the first two arcs, but they can be changed if it feels like the direction isn't going where I want or if the story feels a bit stale. So, please, let me know what you guys think so I can hope to improve!**

 **Without further ado, please enjoy the first part of the story!**

* * *

Jaune could feel the night chill run through him. He looks at his favorite scenery, the bright shattered moon surrounded by a seemingly endless darkness. Shaking his head of these idle thoughts, he looks at the ground for tracks of the legendary Grimm.

Though hard to spot at first, he found a two feet large footprint in the mud. Relief showed on his face; this was his last chance at revenge before he ran out of supplies. He followed the tracks, trying to maintain a balance of speed and quiet. After a few minutes, he hid behind a tree as he finally found what he was looking for.

In the middle of the clearing, there was a humanoid-looking Grimm that was nine feet tall. Its exoskeleton covered the entire back of his body, with large spikes protruding out. On its hands were claws similar to those found on Beowolves; however, their difference was in the size. While Beowolves are meant for fast, shallow cuts, its claws were meant to stab and penetrate. However, the most distinctive part are the seven glowing circles on the front of its torso.

Jaune ran through the notes in his head again. _Legendary Grimm Scylla. Beware of its claws, taking one hit will knock my aura down at least a quarter. The glowing circles is a buildup of electricity. It will discharge it when it feels threatened, and that will knock my aura down. Completely. It regenerates any nonfatal wound, so end the fight quickly._

After recalling the dangerous parts to avoid, he called upon his semblance. It was an unpleasant experience; he can feel his the taint encroaching on his soul. A simple gold bracelet materializes from his left hand. The only detail noticeable is a white line that encircles its entirety. _Taijitu Series: Grimm Infusion._ The sickening feeling only grows as his shoulder and knee joints replaced with Grimm matter. The white line on his bracelet now has a black component, representing his cost for the skill.

He takes a quiet breath as he pulls out his katana, Night's End, from its sheath. The sword is two and a half feet long, with a blade that was charcoal colored, looking like it absorbed all light coming towards it. Jaune couldn't help but crack a small smile, with all the memories made with the sword, and how it fit in his hand so snuggly. Taking a look at the Scylla once again, he raised the katana above his right shoulder, closing the distance between the two before it could react.

The blade cuts through Scylla's left shoulder, but not cleanly. The last second resistance by the Grimm allowed it to keep its arm. Jaune, sensing the danger of a counterattack, was forced to remove the blade and jump back. Where he once stood, Scylla made a large swing with its right arm, the claws only barely out of reach.

 _Tsk. That was supposed to cut its arm cleanly off. Remember, long fight is BAD._

As the thought passed, Jaune could already see the cut slowly beginning to heal. He also could see the same exoskeleton material now growing out of its arms, seemingly to protect it.

Cursing his luck, he started invoking his semblance once again. _Deathstalker Series: Cutting Edge_. On his bracelet, more parts of the white line fade, with black taking its place. At the same time, Grimm matter comes forth from the bracelet and covers itself onto Night's End; though the material appear unchanged, Jaune knew it succeeded. He quickly closed the gap towards Scylla again. Attempting to knock him out, Scylla raised both of its arms to attempt slam down the incoming fighter. This was proven to be a mistake when Jaune pivoted and hopped towards the right, with the blade cutting from below and severed Scylla's left arm, through the armor and all.

If the Grimm was surprised, it did not show it, as it swiped and turned its body towards the Hunter. It was a perfect and precise movement, and would be normally be unblockable. However, the boy's joints were anything but, and despite his muscles protest, he was able to swing his left arm with the blade 180 degrees towards his back to block the attack. This only mitigated some damage, as the impact was still enough to send him flying, stopping only when he hit the nearby tree.

 _I am definitely feeling that in the morning. That was definitely a quarter of my aura gone, if not more_. Seemingly making his situation even more desperate, the stump indicated Scylla's missing arm seems to be regenerating, as well as the wound caused by his initial attack halfway healed.

 _This is definitely the worst case scenario. No fatal blow, check. Not dodging, check. Forced to Twilight Bracelet, check. I have to end this, or else I will run out of Aura before he runs out of...whatever it uses to heal itself._ He grimaces, as he activates his semblance again. _Goliath Series: Reinforcement_.

His bracelet glows for a bit, before the black line and white line are equal in length. The darkness pulsates out the bracelet in waves, covering both his arms and legs. They dissolve into his skin, wrapping itself into his muscles, pushing them beyond human levels.

He checks the distance between him and Scylla: a hundred feet. He pushes himself off the ground, and the scenery blurs around him. He closes the gap in two seconds. Seeing this speed, Scylla finally feels threatened by the boy. In a state of panic, it activates all seven of his circles on his torsos. Electricity crackles, before being discharged towards the running boy.

 _Well, if I'm going to ignore my notes, I might as well ignore them all_. Unable to stop his momentum, he is forced to absorb the attack completely. Right before the collision, he focused all his aura in front of him, hoping it will prevent a majority of the damage.

On impact, the electricity travels through him, and the amount of voltage even disturbs the ground, kicking dust up all around him. Scylla, confident in its victory, starts walking away from the dust smokescreen.

 _Goliath Series: Reinforcement. Aura Reinforcement._ The dark matter spills forth from the bracelet once again, this time only covering his arms. At the same time, aura glows around his arms as well, trying to strengthen him.

The two contradicting forces start fighting each other. Though they are attempting to do the same thing, their existences are antagonist to each other, unable to coexist.

 _I just need one second!_ Scylla turns around, hearing the kick Jaune did to get himself up. But by then, it was already too late. Night's End ran through the Grimm's torso, separating its body into two halves. He continues his attack, cutting the upper portion into several pieces while it is still in the air. The pieces separate and lands with separate timings and a plok sound.

No longer able to hold the two forces together, the aura dissipates and the Grimm material disintegrates from his muscles. With the brief respite, Jaune checks his scroll and bracelet, showing his aura at five percent and the black line now overtaking three fourths of the bracelet. He presses the evacuation button on his scroll and puts it back in his pocket, before examining the scene.

 _Too close for comfort. Master must be rolling in her grave right now._ The adrenaline from the fight now leaving him, he can feel the soreness overusing his muscles, as well as the damage from the high voltage attack. He looks down at Scylla's remaining parts; those closer to the head are taking longer to fade away.

Walking over to the head, he places his bracelet hand over the head. "Thank you for the meal," he says in a hushed voice. _DATA DRAIN_. The head disintegrates, but instead of fading, the particles all get absorbed into his bracelet. A monotone voice appears in his head. _Legendary Series discovered. Skill Legendary Series: Strengthening discovered_.

A big grin appeared on Jaune's face. Feeling the tension drain out of his body, he collapses and falls on his back. Looking at the shattered moon, his heart is completely at peace. _I did it. I finally avenged you, Master._ This was his final thought before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

 **How was it? Was the fighting scene too long? Too boring? Does his powers seem interesting so far? Please let me know what you think, even if it's something you feel is really minor. With that, I will start hammering out the first official chapter!**


	2. Chapter 1: Attracted to Trouble Pt 1

**Hello, Mithos here again. I had intended to write this a few days later, but after the previous writeup, the ideas for this part kept distracting me. So I decided to bite the bullet and just write it. Hopefully, it turned out acceptable. Mm. As always, please give me your opinion on how this came out so I can improve. Osu!**

 **Oh, and just a simple definition: Flags is a term used in dating simulation games to describe a trigger for an event or a relationship. Yes, instead of his confidence coming from his parents, it's from his games.**

* * *

Kthunk...Kthunk..The sound of the train chugging along drowns out the conversations around him. Jaune takes a glance out the window, with the red color scenery passing by. Reminding him of blood, he looks away and to his scroll, currently playing the game Nyan Nyan Masters 2. When he first heard the game got a sequel, he was extremely surprised. After all, the first game did not have any plot, and was short enough to finish in an evening.

 _Well, at least the girls are cute_ , he thought as the next dialogue box pops up. Suddenly, he felt the train shake out of the normal rhythm, and he hears the sounds of explosions towards the back of the train.

Everyone around him seems unconcerned; whether it was because they did not hear or did not care, he couldn't say. He considers investigating versus staying still, when he remembered one of Master's "rules" for him. _Rule #1: When you don't know what to do, make the choice that triggers more flags!_ she would say, with her hand out in a victory sign. Obviously, following this rule means he gravitates toward any and all trouble around him.

He takes a look at his scroll again. _Well, whatever it is, it's probably better than this_. Putting the scroll away, he gets up and starts walking towards the back of the train.

 _Did Ozpin give me any warnings about trouble?_ Jaune honestly could not remember; the only thing he recalled was the word _trouble_ definitely coming up in their conversation. As he thought about this, he had already reached to the last passenger cart, stopping at the door leading to the cargo.

A burly man stands in front of the door, looking the very stereotype of a bouncer. "Kid, what are you doing here? Go back to your seat before you get yourself in trouble," he said, sending Jaune a glare as intimidating as his appearance.

Unaffected, Jaune gives the man a smile. "Hello, my name is Jaune. I am currently a hunter-in-training, and while I would like heed your advice, I already heard an explosion in the back. As such, it has now become my responsibility to investigate, as I am unable to ignore this. I know you are merely doing your job, but what do you think would happen if the cargo was damaged on your watch, while a hunter offered his help?" As he finished this last statement, he sends the glare right back to the obstruction.

A bit unnerved by the blonde's attitude, he cracks. "Y-yes, it would be great to accept your help to see, e-even if nothing is wrong. But, it's y-your own fault if you get hurt!" the man stutters the words out, moving out of the way.

 _I can't believe that worked. Looks like everyone does rely on Hunters for anything and everything._

With a silent nod, he walks past the door and is immediately hit with the cold wind. He moves to the cargo section, noting the Schnee Dust Company(SDC) symbols on the boxes. Eyes drawn to movement, he hides behind one of the boxes and peers out at the scene.

Two characters face a spider like robot, with colors of red and black, looking like it came from a Term-tor movie. It had four rifle canons on its torso, with a laser sight in the center of it all.

The two face towards this droid, and one had clothes that screamed criminal. The man wore a long black coat, with the symbol of the White Fang on the back. The red hair is less noticeable compared to the Grimm mask he's wearing. On his waist is a long sword, with the man holding one hand over the sheath. To Jaune though, the other one was far more interesting. Unlike her companion, she does not wear a Grimm mask, or any indication she's from the White Fang. She's shorter than him as well, despite the black bow on her head to give her extra height. Her choice of weapon seems to be a katana, tied with black ribbon on the hilt. Holding this on her right hand, her left hand carries the sheath for this weapon. If she did not have her weapon, she would seem out of place in this scene.

After a short conversation between them, the girl hops forward towards the robot. Strafing and dodging the energy shots from the rifle shots, she shortens the distance before making a jump towards its side and making a cut with her katana. On contact, she lets go with the blade embedded, letting the ribbon untie for a few feet, before grabbing on to it again. The momentum swings her above the robot, before she pulls out the katana again. She spins her weapon around herself several times, all cutting into the robot and firing shots from the rifle attached to the katana to gain extra speed.

 _She's using her speed against a robot not designed to rapidly adjust its aim. Her weapon is also versatile to make use of all ranges, while the robot cannot. Clever._

The girl lands, pulling the katana and rifle combination back to her. Dashing towards its back, the girl makes several cuts while dancing around the robot's legs. Unfortunately, none of the cuts seem to do damage, where she's then forced to stab its head from underneath. She fires several shots into the head before leaping back towards her companion.

The defense droid, finally regaining control, pulls the four rifles towards each other, gathering energy in the center. It fires a concentrated blue laser at the two. While the girl rolls away, the man unsheathes his blade, absorbing the entire laser before sheathing it again. A small grin appears on his face as the droid jumps towards him, attempting to change strategies. However, before the impact, the man pulls out the blade, and with a clean swing, cuts the robot in halves. However, the parts did not simply separate; each part starts disintegrating instead.

The masked man turns around to face his partner, who is already at the cart Jaune is on. She whispers, "Goodbye," before she takes her blade and cuts the connection between the two carts. The man seems surprised at this, but is unable to react as the distance between the two increases. As the man's silhouette fades away, she turns around, only to see the blonde stepping out from behind the crate.

"Sorry if that was a 'moment,' but...you didn't think no one would check with all the sounds of fighting, right?"

"!" Ignoring the question, she runs forward, trying to get past him. Jaune tries to grab her with his left hand as she approaches him, but he only grabs a shadow. He could see her slip past under his hand and behind him. _She can't get away._

 _Taijitu Series: Grimm Infusion_. His bracelet materializes and its ability replaces his shoulder joints with Grimm matter, allowing his arms to move freely. Swinging his right arm 180 degrees behind him, he grabs the girl's arm, stopping her escape.

In surprise, the girl turns around. She sees his arm bent at an unnatural angle, before he tosses her over his shoulder, slamming her against the metal floor. The impact temporarily knocks her breath out, and she loses the strength to resist and get up.

Jaune uses this chance to grab handcuffs from his pouch, and quickly locks both her and his wrists together, preventing her from getting away.

"No need to run, I just want to ask some simple questions. If you answer truthfully, the handcuffs can even be removed today. Hahaha," the blonde says with a dry laugh. He also uses this chance to turn off his semblance, and the bracelet fades away.

"I have no reason to answer you. I did not do anything wrong. Please let me go." The girl speaks with venom in her voice, and a glare that would send even grown men running away.

"...? I never accused you of anything. But it's hard not to ask questions after seeing what just happened. If we are both civil about this, there will not be a need for authorities or violence." With this, the girl seems to relax slightly, and stands back up.

 _That was probably the right thing to say. I knew those game's dialogue choices will one day be useful!_ Jaune thought. "Okay, let's start with names. Mine is Jaune, one syllable, and sounds like something a main character would be named."

Ignoring the last part, she introduces herself in monotone, "Blake. Blake Belladonna."

"Okay, Blake. So give me the story of what happened here."

"I...I saw that White Fang member attacking the defense droids. I tried to stop him, but before I could, that spider droid started attacking both of us, seeing both of us as enemies. To save myself, I worked with him to stop it, but seeing how strong he is, I realize I couldn't win against him. So, to protect the passengers, I separated the carts." Blake gave her story without letting her sadness get to her.

 _She is clearly lying to me, but it is not like I expect her to tell the truth to a stranger. Plus, she is trying to hide her emotions, but looks like she will cry anytime now._ After thinking about it for awhile, Jaune speaks up."Hrmm...Okay. Is there anyone that can vouch for you that we can contact?"

 _He believed me?_ That was the first thought that passed through Blake's mind. Before letting relief show on her face, she replies, "Yes, the headmaster of Beacon, Ozpin. I was traveling there as a prospective student before this incident occurred. Unfortunately, I lost my scroll with his contact information." It was not a lie. She discarded her scroll beforehand to make sure Adam had no way to track her.

"Ozpin, huh? No worries, I have his info." Jaune flashes his scroll, forgetting that his game was still on screen; a picture of a cat Faunus dressed in a maid uniform was shown. In embarrassment, he quickly closes out of it, switching to show Ozpin's information, but the damage was already done. Blake gives a cold stare at him, making her evaluation of him even worse. A chill ran through his back, and it felt like winter came early.

Clearing his throat, he spoke as fast as possible. "Right, but we probably shouldn't talk to him here. We will go to a booth after we reached Vale, where we will talk to him. Until then, please deal with these," as he points towards the cuffs.

Though Blake wants to protest, she realized it was no use. _I still have not recovered from the fight, and he does not seem like he wants to hurt me. Plus, this will give me a good cover until I get to Beacon._ She also notices the katana at his side, and thought against resisting. She nods, and follows him back towards the passenger cart.

Jaune opens the door, seeing the bouncer from before. The man looks surprised that there was two of them, but was interrupted before he could say anything.

"The two of us were both investigating. She simply took a different approach angle," he reveals, while pointing up at the ceiling. He also uses this time to pull Blake behind him, hiding the handcuffs from the man's view. "We will personally report to the authorities about what happened. Until then, please let us rest in our seats." Pulling out a business card, he hands it to the man.

"Right..." His face show anything but trusting, but he felt out of his element here.

Walking past him, the two start strolling towards his spot on the train.

In a hushed tone, he whispers to his accomplice, "You probably want to get closer. I would prefer if rumors don't spread about a couple with strange cuff fetishes."

If he did not know better, he would have thought that Blake looked away with a strange blush. _The girl tries so hard to be stoic. She wouldn't be embarrassed with such a joke, right?_

The walk about to his seat was awkwardly quiet, and sitting down, it was even more so. Thankfully, the seat next to him was empty, but having nothing else to talk about, the two look off in different directions.

 _This is so boring. I want to start playing my game again. But her opinion of me will drop even more. Then again, she already knows..._ Faced with this inner turmoil, he eventually decided against it, not being able to endure through that cold stare again.

The kthunk of the train fill the silence, with the awkward atmosphere did not dissipate.

* * *

Eventually, they arrive at their station of Vale. Quickly getting off the train, they walked towards the nearest Scroll booth. It was transparent booth, holding two people at most, and blocks out noise around it. It had slots to charge and connect the scroll to the Vale network, which is what most people used it for.

Jaune quickly connected the scroll before calling Ozpin. After a few rings, a middle-aged man with gray hair, wearing dark spectacles showed up on screen.

"Jaune, I did not expect you to call me. I had assume you would meet up with me directly...unless you ran into some sort of trouble," the man spoke, with authority in his voice.

"Right...that's the thing. I DID run into some trouble, and I am kind of stuck with Blake here." Reading the timing, Blake walked up and showed herself to the camera, with the handcuffs. "She says you know her, and I need you to verify that I can let her go."

"I see. Despite my specific instructions..." Ozpin uses this pause to take a drink. "No matter. I had contacted with Miss Belladonna here. She will not cause you harm. You can let her go." Jaune takes a key from his pouch and starts unlocking the handcuffs. "I expect you to report to me about our agreement in the upcoming days." Blake nodded. "As for you, Jaune, please come to Beacon immediately. There is much we have to discuss." With that statement, the call is cut.

With the handcuffs off, the two step out of the booth. Jaune took the chance to speak. "Well, sorry about that. As I said, can't exactly let someone help destroy a SDC defense droid go without some verification." After a small pause, he added, "the time we spent together was short, but the love-filled memory will be held close to my heart."

Blake ignored the sad attempt at a joke. "Right...If you do not have any other business with me, I will leave now." With a small bow, she hastily walks away.

 _Was I really that unlikable? I guess having a stranger handcuff you would be weird, but I tried to be gentlemanly. Wait, I didn't ask for her contact info! Ughh...I really hope I don't get in trouble for this..._

As Jaune walks away, others could hear him muttering something about raising the right flags and gaining affection points.

* * *

Swiping his scroll on the electronic lock, the doors opened, granting Jaune access into Beacon Tower. He walked towards the elevator, which automatically opened. He step inside, and before he had a chance to press anything, the doors closed and the elevator started climbing.

 _Okay. No worries. You are meeting Ozpin, one of the most well renowned Huntsmen, headmaster of the most prestigious Huntsman and Huntress school, and was Master's commanding officer. Nothing. Scary._

As he thought this, he could feel the sweat on his face and palms. He silently entertained the idea that the elevator was made as slow as possible to antagonize the rider, but quickly dismissed it as ridiculous. _I mean, would Ozpin really spend his precious time thinking of ways to torture his students? Obviously not._

With a ding, the elevator reached the highest floor and opened its doors. Walking out, he could see Ozpin sitting in a large office chair with a large metal table. Looking closer, the table had several cogs and gears turning inside it. Even larger cogs and gears took the place of the ceiling. A glass window overlooking the academy was behind Ozpin. Walking out the elevator, he sees a blonde woman in her 30s with a hair bun tied behind her and a curl on the right side. She crosses her arm, with her right hand holding a riding crop. She has a white puffy shirt and a business skirt; with her posture, she gives the aura of a mature and strict schoolteacher.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch, Deputy Headmistress and a teacher at Beacon. Please take a seat, Mr. Arc." She states in a cold fashion.

"Call me Jaune. I...really don't like my last name, Ms. Goodwitch." Jaune immediately responds, as he takes the seat facing Ozpin.

She raises an eyebrow at this, but seemingly agrees. "Jaune, you are bought here to discuss your current situation. With the death of Xenith Versailles, your guardian, your situation is now unstable."

Ozpin speaks up. "Your master was a close friend of mine. In her will, she asked me to take responsibility of you. She had high praises for your combat ability, even stating at times to rival hers. When we first spoke, you showed enthusiasm for inheriting her job. However, I am reluctant to employ you in the same position as her. In my eyes, you are still a child. And..." Ozpin trails off a bit. "Especially due to your isolation. I do not believe you have any interaction with peers of your age?"

"Yeah. Master and I both lived in a cabin in the edge of Vale. The nearest sign of civilization was two days away, and she rarely bought me to get supplies with her. Even then, I only spoke with adults. Most of my conversations occurred with Master."

"I see. This does pose a problem. However, I believe we have the perfect solution." Ozpin replied, nodding to Glynda. She puts a stack of papers in front of him, with the first page being an application to Beacon.

"If you attend Beacon Academy, I will be able to keep an eye on you. You will have an opportunity to interact with peers your age, and even refine your combat abilities. After graduating, you will be in the same position as your master: a Hunter. I will have no objections about giving you position then. Finally, if you are impatient about taking on her job, I can give you simple assignments to work yourself up to her responsibilities."

 _This is perfect! I can follow Master's footsteps, and become someone worth something. But...would she want me following her footsteps? She also wanted me to make my own choices..._

After a few more considerations, Jaune recalled Master's #1 Rule. With that, he made his decision. "Please let me attend Beacon Academy!"

* * *

 **Whew, that took a lot longer than expected to write. I had to constantly rewrite and change the wording of things to make it flow better, and trying to keep the voice of the characters. I also realized that the prologue didn't really explain his powers very well. Don't worry, the next chapter will have more of the conversation with Ozpin that will go over this. And as some may expect, I will have Jaune meet up with team RWBY. After all, attracted to trouble as he is, he is always at the wrong place at the right time!**

 **As always, thank you for taking the time to read this!**

 **PS. Yes, Nyan Nyan Masters is a reference to Nekopara.**


	3. Chapter 2: Attracted to Trouble Pt 2

**Mithos here. I believe I may have a slight problem. From what I have seen, daily updates are not normal.**

 **Please do not expect consistent daily updates...**

* * *

"With your plans set, I would like to ask about how you got in contact with Miss Belladonna," Ozpin remarks. "It was explicitly stated that you must avoid trouble, especially after your case with Scylla."

"Yeah...I just kind of forgot that part of the conversation." Jaune scratches his head. _Actually, I don't remember any of it, but I should probably keep that to myself._

Ozpin raises an eyebrow. Goodwitch speaks up, "From this point on, please keep that in mind. We would like to keep the spotlight off of you, especially with your unique powers."

"I will definitely try!" With that, Jaune explains what happened on the train, with what he saw and how he ended up handcuffed to a White Fang member.

After the explanation, Ozpin use the pause to take a drink. "I see. Are you curious about her situation? As a witness, I believe you are entitled to some answers."

"Hmm...The way I see it, she's got her share of secrets. The whole being a cat Faunus and White Fang member is probably something she doesn't want anyone to know." _Though I only noticed the cat ears after comparing her to the game_... "Seeing as how we are going to be fellow students, I shouldn't probe too much into it, as to not make the relationship awkward." _Also, if she ever does share her secrets, that's a major upgrade to our relationship status. Probably want to save that._ "So I won't ask anything."

"If that is your choice. The next thing we have to clarify is your semblance." Ozpin takes a look at the letter in front of him. "Xenith mentioned that it is to absorb Grimm and use their properties on yourself. Could you explain further?"

Jaune grimaces. _I wanted to avoid talking about it...But considering it's an important part of being a Hunter, I can't avoid it for long._ With a bit of hesitation, he starts talking.

"My semblance is called Twilight Bracelet." A gold bracelet materializes on his left wrist. A white line partially encircles it, which then turns to black to finish the circle. "It allows me to absorb defeated Grimm with Data Drain, which unlocks a skill series corresponding to the type of Grimm. For example," _Nevermore Series: Fallen Feathers_. Black feathers grow out and appear out from the side of Jaune's arms as the skill activates.

"These are Nevermore feathers from the Nevermore Series, and I can use them to glide. They can also," _Nevermore Series: Feathershot_. The feathers on his arm now shoot forward, embedding itself in the walls. "Shoot them out like this. In addition to using Aura, there's also a cost I call corruption." He points toward the lines on his bracelet. The black line has extended, taking some of the white line away. "The cost probably has something to do with the clash of Aura of the soul and the Grimm of the soulless. I have never reached a complete black line, and Master never let me reach anywhere close to it. There are also other skills from different types of Grimm. I can call forth claws from a Beowolf and strength enhancement from an Ursa. The only time I ever fought Master evenly was using every skill series."

Goodwitch seems a bit unnerved by the rapid explanation. Ozpin looks unfazed, the only emotion shown being curiosity. "Does using your semblance alter your mental state? And will you be using all the...skill series while you are at Beacon?"

"Nope. Using my semblance is not pleasant, but I have full control even when using it. As for my usage while in school..." _It's probably not a good idea for me to walk around with Grimm parts. I don't want to risk friendly fire, and having these features is definitely unsettling._ "I plan on only using the Nevermore series. It can be disguised as a semblance to emulate birds, and it has versatility to harden as well. It's a good sidearm."

The room is silent as the pun is said. _Man, tough crowd. Master would crack up at that one._

Clearing his throat, Ozpin responds. "Yes, that is probably for the best. If you have considered it, then please use your own discretion."

Jaune makes a small nod, before calling off his semblance. The bracelet fades away, and the feathers on the wall do the same.

"Finally, the last thing to consider is your Master's will." Jaune stiffens up. "She did not leave behind much, and I have already resolved most of her requests."

This triggers the memory of his first conversation with Ozpin. He remembers Hunters delivering Master's body, burying her next to their cabin. He was handed a scroll that connected to Ozpin, who showed him the will and requested an audience.

"Yeah. You have." Jaune curtly stated.

Trying to ignore the solemn atmosphere, Glynda hands a copy of the will to him. "Please make sure everything is in order. I know it is difficult to face this alone, but if there is anything we can do to..."

"It's fine. She would kick my ass if she knew I was moping around right now." He wants to consider his language, but the emotions were getting to him now.

Ozpin speaks up. "The last two things is the case of your weapon." He points toward the katana by the boy's side. "Though I would like to hand you that blade, it is a...symbol of the position your Master held. I can trust you to not misuse it, but I cannot say for others. Therefore, I would have to take that back."

"YOU CAN'T!" Jaune screams out, standing up and kicking away his seat. "This is the last thing she left for me, and if you want to take it, you are going to have to pry it off my cold, dead hands," he shouted, emanating a killing aura.

Surprised by the difference in attitude, Glynda tries to diffuse the situation. "That is where you are mistaken. Your master foresaw this situation, and left a weapon for you in her inheritance. I understand the blade has sentimental value to you, but its value as a symbol is even greater."

With the reveal and logical argument, Jaune calms down, and his breathing becomes more regular. Taking that as her cue to continue, she suggests, "Consider it safekeeping. Once you inherit her position after graduation, it will be given back to you."

Jaune falls silent.

 _I...I don't want to part ways with Night's End. It's my last connection to her, reminding me of her existence and everything she did for me._

 _But if she sees me clinging on to her like this, not maturing despite her guidance...Well, wouldn't I be turning my back on all her lessons? Even if I don't have the blade... I will still have my memories with her._

With that final thought, he made up his mind. He unlocks Night's End from his belt and hands it to the teacher.

"Thank you," she voices, giving him a gentle smile. It was the first smile he saw from her. Blushing from both the smile and the embarrassment of his outburst, he turns his head away from her, muttering a small "sorry."

Ozpin takes the chance to continue the conversation. "As Glynda mentioned, your master left another blade for you. However, it is currently not in our possession." Taking a small note from his drawers, he hands it to Jaune. "That is the location, held by someone named Junior. He was an old colleague and classmate of your master; that is probably why he was entrusted with it."

Grasping the note tightly, Jaune memorized the location.

"I would suggest retrieving it as soon as possible. The weapon itself might have need for maintenance or repairs. As Beacon initiation starts in four days, your time is limited. With that said, we have covered our list of topics." He looks to Glynda, who nods back. Ozpin stands up, extending out his hand. It was only then that Jaune notices the cane in his left hand, with cogs and gears in the handle.

 _With how much gears are around him and how he speaks, it's a wonder people don't think he's a robot._ Jaune thought, as he grasp and shakes the hand offered to him.

"I look forward to initiation, and our future work together."

"Likewise."

With those closing statements, Jaune turned around and walked to the elevator. As the elevator descends, the last thing he sees are the massive cogs and gears on the ceiling.

* * *

Seeing the boy leave their sight, Glynda uses her telekinesis to place the chair back, taking the chance to speak up. "Sir, is it wise to offer him that position?"

Ozpin gives a small shrug. "He has the blessings of the predecessor. If you are worried about his combat abilities, I believe the upcoming four years will allow you to evaluate that."

"That was not what I was referring to. His attachment to his master, that outburst, and that strange, not to mention dangerous, semblance, are detriments to becoming a Hunter. Not to mention his history before Xenith..."

"I understand your worry. However, we are currently fighting a war. One where I have just lost a pivotal piece. If a replacement shows up, I believe it would be foolish not to accept." He takes a drink again. He could feel the burn of the vodka as going down his throat. _I could not do these conversations sober._

She responds with a sigh, in acceptance. "Your judgment has not failed us before. But, can I bring up one problem?"

Ozpin looks at her, allowing her to continue.

"You just sent someone, who by a simple train ride, got involved with the White Fang, towards one of the most notorious nightclubs in the city."

"Well." Ozpin took another drink. And another.

"I will prepare the repair forms, sir," she said, walking towards her office.

 _I am already having second thoughts about this_ , Ozpin thought as he finished the last of his drink.

* * *

 _Better strike while the iron's hot,_ Jaune thought to himself. After reserving a hotel room for his stay in Vale, he heads toward the address on his paper. Though it was already late, he wants to resolve this as quickly as possible. _Besides, it feels weird without having a weapon by my side._

 _And this guy, Junior, used to know Master, right? I wonder if he has any cool stories about her. Even better, he might be a Hunter as well! Wait...Junior...Master...Is this an inside joke? Could it be that they were on the same team, and the other people were named Senior and..._

As he entertains these thoughts, he arrives at the location. Looking that the sign that read Limelight, he considers the possibility he had the wrong place. However, when he compares the addresses, they are completely identical.

 _Well, this is the right address...Could Ozpin have given me the wrong place?_ Focusing on the building, he could hear music with flashes of colored light coming out the door.

 _Oh god..._ The realization struck him. _This is a nightclub! I have only read about these...Aren't you supposed to dress up in fancy clothes with crazy hats and tattoos to show your individuality?_

He looks at his getup, which consists of a blue hoodie, black jeans, and sneakers.

 _Not even considering the "cool" factor, I look like a kid that got lost!_

The people around him start pointing and whispering, some of them entering the club. _I probably look suspicious just standing out here..._

Feeling lost, he recalls Master's Rule #4. _When you don't know where to go, charge straight ahead! The world's obstacles and forces will push you to where you need to go!_ When she said this, she pointed her sword forwards, with one leg up and striking a gallant pose; it looked as if a pirate stepped in treasure, claiming it for himself.

 _I'm starting to think this is one of the reasons why I get lost so easily..._ But taking the advice, he walks through the entrance.

The first thing he notices is the obnoxiously loud music. Next is the flashing lights where the club derived its name from. The last thing was the mass of bodies on the dance floor, with four glass cylinders marking the corners. Ignoring the center, he saunters over to the bar, hoping to find Junior.

 _No one's stopping me?_ He sees several people dressed up in suits, shades, and fedoras acting as guards, which reminds him of the guy in the train.

 _I never did get that resolved...I hope that guy doesn't get in trouble. Especially since I gave him a wrong number. And lied about being a Hunter. Well, I'm sure Ozpin can handle it._

Arriving at the bartender, the man gives him a strange look.

Jaune takes the initiative. "Hi, I'm looking for Junior. Ozpin sent me."

"Look next to you," the bartender replied, before walking away to make drinks for the other customers.

Jaune turns to his side, where he sees a man dressed similarly to the bouncers in the club. However, instead of a suit, he wears a black vest. He also opted to replace the fedora with a well shaved beard instead. His posture seems more authoritative than the others.

 _I assume he's the one in charge._

"Who's looking?" the man turns around to face him. "A kid?"

"Name's Jaune. Ozpin sent me, saying you have something of mine."

"Ozpin? What business does Ozpin have with me? I cut those ties years ago." Junior voiced out. He gives Jaune a suspicious look, trying to judge his intentions.

"Technically, it's business with Master. Her name was..." not having said her name very often, it took a bit for him to remember. "Xenith Versailles. Her will stated that she left something in your care for me. I'm here to claim it."

Junior's eyes opened wide. "Wait, you're Xenith's kid? Calling her Master...I guess she still did that, huh?" He stood up. "Jaune, right? She mentioned you a few times. Follow me."

Jaune follows the man to the back of the club. "So you knew Master?"

"Yup. Back when I was still a Hunter, she saved my life more times than I could count." He chuckled. "It's actually how I got this name. She made everyone that she helped call her Master. Since she saved my life more than anyone else, she started calling me Junior. The name kinda stuck, so I kept it."

He took a key out, opening the backroom and turning on the lights. "Sorry for the mess, I don't come in here very often." They walk into the room.

"So why did you quit?" _Wait, that's probably way too personal!_ "Err, sorry, I didn't mean to..." the blonde stammered out.

"It's fine, kid. Let's see...if it was anything, it was probably the fact I sucked as a Hunter. Needed saving too many times, and saw too many good men and women die for the cause. Became dissuaded, you know?" He grabs his neck awkwardly. "It's hard to believe you're doing good when all you see is bad."

It was hard to answer. After a bit of pondering, he replies, "Master used to say the same thing."

"She did, huh? Well, at least I know one other person agrees!" With a dry laugh, he points at the safe in the very back of the room.

"She said you'd know the combination. I hope she left you something good, kid."

Jaune looks at the safe. _I will never forget these numbers as I live._ He types in the numbers 1019. "Yeah. She always thought of others," _often before herself._

With a click, the safe swings open. As expected, a short sword about one and a half feet long was inside. What was unexpected was the sealed letter next to the blade.

"She really thought of everything," Jaune asserted, as he took both things from the safe.

"Wait, that sword...Oh man, is that why she asked me gather black silver?" Junior had a hand over his face.

"Black silver?" Jaune questioned. "Is it a rare material or something?"

They started walking back to the bar. "It's not just rare. It's volatile, hard to work with, and illegal to obtain. It reacts violently with air, and mining it is illegal in all four kingdoms. The only reason I got hold of it because someone owed me a huge favor, and even then I didn't want to hold on to it for long. So when she asked for it, I gladly handed it over. To think, it was just sitting in my basement..."

"Wait, so do I have to hand this over to the police station or something?" _Well, not like I was going to even if I had to._ He unsheathed the blade, and the same charcoal color as Night's End came into view. The grip felt exactly like it as well; it was like looking at a scaled replica.

"Naw. Harvest of the material may be illegal, but weapons already made from it are okay. The material naturally cuts through Grimm, and if there is anything the Council can't resist, it's anti-Grimm weapons. Though, I'm sure they are tracked so counterfeits can't be made. If you know Ozpin, I'm sure he will take care of that for you."

Jaune took a look at the blade again. _Once again, Master leaves me something amazing. Aren't you expecting too much of me?_ The thought reminded him of the letter in his pocket.

They step out of the backroom. Jaune sheaths his blade again while Junior locks the room. "Wait, you mentioned will. So does that mean she finally kicked the bucket?"

Jaune frowned. Choosing his words wisely, he decides to tell a small lie. "Yeah. She died fighting a Legendary Grimm. Took it down with her."

The man roared out a laugh. "That sounds just like her. Doing the insane, and being the big hero." There was nothing but respect in his voice.

They reached the bartender, where Junior gave him a small nod. "Kid, stay for a bit and have a drink with this old man. We can share stories. Plus, I doubt you want to read that letter sober."

Drinks were placed in front of them. They shared stories of how she once rode a Boarbatusk across town, and how she cut down half a forest to find one Grimm. How no one could argue with her when she got in a bad mood, and how she won a staring contest with an Ursa.

They were interrupted when a girl with long blonde hair walks up. She wore a short sleeved, low-cut tan vest, revealing her stomach. Tying her black shorts together was a brown belt, with several pouches. Her blue eyes seem calm, but investigative as she looks Junior up and down.

"Strawberry Sunrise. No ice." She orders, and the bartender walks away to make the drink. "Oh, and one of those little umbrellas." She added.

Junior looks at Jaune, who took the hint. The blonde walked away, taking a seat a few feet away, using the chance to read the letter.

 _Hey kid,_

 _If you're reading this letter, I probably kicked the bucket before you were ready. The whole being unkillable thing is hard when I dive into danger every moment possible. It was probably only a matter of time, anyway. Anyway, this letter is my attempt to give you a bit of closure._

 _I know that you want to be like me. It was obvious; you copied my sword style, my interests, and even my way of talking. Despite my protests, you didn't stop, and I doubt you will even with my death. I left you in care of Ozpin; I hope he can convince you to do something else, but knowing the prick, he's probably going to set you towards my path. Unfortunately, he's the one person I trust the most, so you're stuck with him. But I really do hope you make meaning of your life without copying mine._

 _As for what I left you...I had planned on giving you that sword after you finished your training. But I guess I was being hopeful to see you grow up, huh?_

 _Right! As for the name of the sword, seeing how it was a replica of Night's End, I used that for inspiration (Sorry it's a short sword. I couldn't get enough of that material. And Ozpin got REALLY angry that I made that sword, but I told him to suck it. If you're wondering why we didn't have electricity that one month, this was why. If there is hell, that was it). It's called...DAYBREAK. Clever, right? You know, at the end of night comes...never mind. The sheath has a slot for white dust, which it uses to sharpen and repair the blade. I don't really know how it works, but the glyph lady said so, and she hasn't steered me wrong before._

 _Mmm...I think that's all I want to say. As you remember, I'm really bad at farewells... GAH! Alright kid, just remember three things. One, forget about me in a year. I influenced you too much; it's about time you lived your own life. Two, don't forget the promises you make with yourself. Three, Rule #10! Enjoy every waking moment, no matter the high, despite the low! If you keep these three in mind, you'll turn out fine._

 _I'm be proud of you, Jaune._

 _Signed,_

 _1019_

 _PS. I was drunk when I made that name. Please rename it something else. It's going to be really embarrassing for you if you keep that name. I'm already writhing in agony remembering I wrote that._

 _PPS. If you aren't Jaune and reading this, you better start running. I'm going to hunt you for reading something this god damn embarrassing._

Jaune finished the letter, tears rolling down his face. The letter had everything he loves about her: the awkwardness, kindness, consideration, and recklessness. As the realization of her death finally sets in, tears cascade down his face. Wiping it with his sleeve, he finishes the drink and stands up.

 _I have to be strong. Even if she didn't want me to be like her, she was everything I admire. That will never change._

Finishing that thought, he hears a large crash behind him. Turning around he sees the blonde girl with her fist out. One of the glass cylinders is broken, with Junior is up against the wall.

 _I'm worried about him, but he should be okay with his Aura_.

Jaune looks back at her, seeing her reload her gauntlets. _Is...is that a Gauntlet Gun?_

His question went unanswered when she jumps up in the air, and slams the ground, pushing away the guards that charged her.

 _IS SHE ON FIRE!?_

A bright red aura surrounds the girl as she gets up with a smile, confident in her victory.

Charging at the nearest guard, she kicks one into the ground before he could react. With moves resembling boxing, she punches and kicks away all the guard running towards her. Using her gauntlet shots to change her momentum, she makes unpredictable movements, and the guards could not touch her.

Within a few seconds, all the guards around her were sent flying. Seeing this, the DJ pulls out a rifle, taking aim at the blonde.

As he pulls the trigger, she slides left and right while running towards the DJ, before using the gauntlet shot to launch herself upward, slamming into him. She grabs his head before he has a chance to respond, slamming his face against the record table.

The stopped music knocks Jaune out of his reverie.

 _Today has been a weird day._

Pocketing the letter, he starts running towards the girl before being blocked by two silhouettes.

"Melanie, who is this girl?" one of them said.

"I don't know Miltia, but we should teach her a lesson," the other one responded.

"Wait wait, please let me handle this," Jaune said, as he stepped in front of the two girls. Before the two have a chance to argue, the other blonde had already launched herself at them, firing her gauntlets in the air.

The three scatter, with Jaune rolling forward. The bullets hit the floor, sending debris flying around. With his current position, he was forced to immediately clash with the girl as she lands.

She throws a right straight aimed at his face. Seeing it as too fast to dodge, he pulls out Daybreak in his left land to deflect the attack. Not giving him any space, she immediately throws out a left hook.

This attack being slower, he took a step back to avoid it. Immediately switching the blade back to his dominant hand, he swing at her just outside the range of her fists.

The left gauntlet came up to block the attack, while the right one took aim at him, ready to fire a shot. Jaune reads it, and sidesteps to his right.

The shot comes out, immediately making a crater where he was just standing.

Abusing his range, he takes another swing, this time in an overhead arc. Once again, the left gauntlet came out to match. Using the same strategy, she tries to take another shot at him with her right gauntlet.

 _Predictable_ , he thought.

As she aims straight, he takes a step towards her, surprising the other blonde. She could not stop her swing. He takes advantage of this, as his left elbow clamps down on her right arm, placing her arm between his elbow and torso.

With both her arms incapacitated, he uses the opportunity to step forward again, wrapping his right leg against hers, and unbalances her.

Both people losing their footing, he uses the chance to push forward and they topple down towards her side. As they slam down on the ground, he uses the timing to pin her down.

"Well, I usually wait until after my third date before I," the girl is unable to finish the sentence as Jaune slams her left temple with the butt of his sword, knocking her out.

After making sure she is unconscious, he lets her go. Taking the handcuffs from his bag, he puts them on her with her hands behind her back.

 _I can't believe I get TWO uses out of them in one day! Wait. Isn't that a bad thing?_

He gets up, pulling the girl up with him, slinging her across his right shoulder. _Don't measure her weight, don't measure her weight...54 kg. DAMN IT._

He turns around to see the two girls that originally stopped him. Finally getting the chance to observe them, he notices that the two are twins, with contrasting features. While one had short hair, the other long. One had a red dress, the other white. Even their weapons mirrored each other, one having claws and the other bladed heels.

 _They mentioned their names in the beginning, but I could not for the love of me remember which was which..._

The two walk up, and he can see Junior holding a bazooka following behind them. _He doesn't seem to be injured_. Jaune sighed in relief.

"You okay, kid? Didn't expect a crazy night like this, huh?"

"Am I okay? I should be asking you that! You...oh, ex-Hunter. Right." After a slight pause, he added, "Isn't the bazooka a tad excessive? That's probably going to do more damage than what she was going to do." He points toward the girl he is carrying.

"Well, at this point, it was a matter of pride more than anything else. Besides, I didn't think anything else was going to stop her."

The twins, not wanting to be ignored, spoke up. "Way to stop us showing off," the one in the red dress exclaimed. The girl in the white dress nodded, following up with a small pout.

That statement sent warning signals to his head. Something about showing off and spotlight...

"We would like to keep the spotlight off of you, especially with your unique powers," Glynda's voice echoed in his head.

 _THAT WAS A FEW HOURS AGO! If I get in trouble now..._ he was reminded of the month without electricity.

 _I won't be able to stay alive. No, at that point I would rather settle down and become a pig farmer, if it meant I got electricity!_

The others became worried about his silence. "I...I don't blame you that much," the girl in the red dress said in an attempt to comfort him, before looking away.

"No choice. Can't explain." He tosses the blonde girl over to Junior. "Gotta run. You take care of this," he declares as he takes off running.

"Wait, but..." Junior was unable to finish his statement as Jaune was already at the exit.

"MAKE SOMETHING UP. I'LL COME BACK LATER!" the blonde dashes out, trying to escape the responsibility behind him.

After a few moments, as if it was scripted, sirens could be heard approaching Limelight.

* * *

 **Whew, and that's another chapter! I had actually intended on the meeting with RWBY in one chapter. But as I started writing it, adding in more of his backstory, his situation, and the descriptions, it dragged out. Well, at least I'm pretty sure that I should be able to finish it in three parts!**

 **Ha...ha...Anyway, as always, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I'm finding it a bit difficult to write the fighting scenes, but I hope it sounds somewhat believable. With more practice, it should get easier. As always, please let me know your opinions so I can improve. *Small bow* Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 3: Attracted to Trouble Pt 3

**Mithos here! Thank you to everyone who has read or is following the story. It really gives me motivation to keep writing (past reasonable hours). I didn't want to keep you guys waiting, so I decided to finish up the meeting with RWBY as fast as possible. And yes, there is a reason why he meets them beforehand.**

 **As for reviews...** **IWEYC, thank you very much for the kind words. It makes me want to start the next chapter already...Everyone else that reviewed, thank you as well. I read everyone's reactions to make sure I can try and get as much good content in there as possible.**

 **I actually intended on getting this chapter out earlier today. But I kept reading and rewriting the parts with Weiss to try and nail that down. Since she's my favorite character, I wanted to do her justice. With that, I hope you enjoy this upcoming chapter (it may have a dark moment :( )**

* * *

A few blocks away from Limelight, Jaune finally catches his breath. _I really hope that Junior makes up a good story. I have a premonition that Glynda is a stickler for rules; if she finds out I didn't listen to her very first request... I fear for my life._

He takes a look at Daybreak again, feeling a bit giddy. _My own sword, modeled after Master's! I'm going to take such good care of you. We're going to fight together, sleep together, bathe to..._

His train of thought halts when he notices a small nick on the blade. Jaune hits his mental panic button.

 _I've only had this for an hour! How the hell is it_...He recalls using the sword to parry the troublemaker's punch. _Wait, that punch did this? Note to self: If you see her again, avoid fists. Actually, avoid her completely. Something tells me causing trouble is a regular thing._

Staring at the blade again, he racks his brain for a solution. _Wait, didn't Master mention a way to repair it? Something about white dust?_

He takes a look at the letter again. _White Dust into the sheath with the sword, and it repairs? She really did thought of everything!_

Using his scroll, he hastily looks for a Dust shop open this late. Luckily, there was one called "From Dust Till Dawn" nearby, so he strolls toward it.

 _Finally, a break from the excitement. I'm just going to get the Dust, fix the sword, and crash on the nice and comfortable hotel bed._

 _I am going to ignore any and all signs of trouble. I have learned. I have matured. I_...

As he turns around the street corner, two people fly out the window, landing on the ground with a thud.

 _That's...that's the shop I was going to. But I just said...And my comfy bed...but fixing my sword..._

Muttering several curses, one of which refuted the existence of a god, Jaune starts to turn around.

 _I can still pretend I didn't see anything. I'm sure there's another Dust shop open this late. Or I can just get the Dust tomorrow. Yeah. There is NO reason for me to get involved. Ab-so-lute-ly none._

However, the girl in red caught his eye before he could leave. The red cloak and black dress compliments the young girl's short black hair. Her silver eyes sparkle with innocence while gazing at him, more concerned about his wellbeing than the approaching thugs.

 _NO! Don't look at me with those eyes!_

He freezes up as the repressed memory bubbles up to the surface. Several elementary age children look at him with pleading eyes, asking for help. Their faces were disfigured; burn and cut scars ran across their eyes and lips. They extend their hands toward him; some their only arm, and others try to grasp even without fingers.

Their stares and voices all ask one thing, "Why? Why were you the one to live?"

Gastric juices rise from the pit of his stomach. He leans on the side of the building, emptying the day's meals on to the pavement. Tears stream down his face as he tries to stabilize his shaking left hand.

 _Why did I have to remember that now? It's different this time, that was the past! I can get over this!_

"...and as much I'd love to stick around...Excuse me, I'm trying to have a moment here. Do you _mind_?"

Jaune turns to face the origin of the voice. The man's getup consists of a white suit, gray scarf, black bowler's hat, and cane. With his orange hair covering his right eye and eyeliner in the other, he looks more qualified to perform a play than to commit a robbery.

The other thugs all lie prone around him and the girl. Jaune notices the girl has a massive scythe out, presumably the weapon used on the thugs.

"The theatrical air is lost. Alas." The orange hair man expresses dramatically, lifting his cane and aiming it at the girl. A scope appears as he finishes his lines. "Yada yada, part ways."

Jaune's legs move as soon as the scope was shown. He charges toward the girl, tackling her to the ground and shielding her with his body. His eardrums shake from the explosion behind him. A stinging sensation runs through his spine as the shrapnel lodges into his back.

 _Couldn't even get my aura up in time. That shot was aimed to kill._ The thought made him sick to his stomach.

"Are you okay?!" The girl he is shielding asks him, looking at him with those same silver eyes.

Jaune looks away as he stands up, giving her a curt reply. "My Aura will take care of it."

That statement lets her realize that he can handle himself. The cloaked girl looks around and sees the robber climbing an emergency ladder to escape.

"There he is!" Before Jaune could even reply, she runs toward wrongdoer, leaving behind a trail of roses.

He recalls part of the memory again. _I have to protect her,_ he decides as he follows behind her.

Reaching the ladder, the girl in red fires her scythe rifle downwards, using the momentum to launch herself upwards and following the outlaw.

With his weapon unable to emulate, Jaune summons his Twilight Bracelet instead. _Goliath Series: Reinforcement._

The black muck spews forth from the bracelet, covering both his arms. It seeps into his skin, binding around his muscles and amplifying their movements.

Grabbing the steps of the ladder, he pulls himself up. However, from other's perspective, it appears more like he was launching himself upwards using the metal steps. Grooves in the shape of his fingers appear where he lets go, hinting at how much strength he was using.

Arriving shortly after the girl, Jaune scans the scene. A Bullhead hovers near the edge of the building as the runaway boards it. The scythe user seems unsure what to do against the getaway vehicle.

"End of the line, kids!" the outlaw shouts, as he tosses a red Dust crystal that bounces toward them.

 _No way! If he detonates that, it's going to blow the top off this building!_ The blonde is already in movement, running towards the crystal in an attempt to prevent this from happening.

The shot came out before anything else could be done. _If I can just use..._

A white blur interrupted his train of thought. Covering his eyes as the projectile explodes, he opens them to reveal a large glyph made by Glynda in front of them.

"You are in so much trouble," she annunciates with coldness seeping in her voice. The pain in his back gets replaced by the chilling fear of the Huntress in front of him.

The silver-eyed girl sighs in relief, not noticing Jaune's anxiety. Glynda flicks her riding crop, sending several blue laser shots toward the Bullhead.

The collisions push the Bullhead around as it struggles to orientate itself. After a few seconds, it stabilizes and turns around in an attempt to leave.

Glynda's Aura glows around her. A second later, she fires a shot above the Bullhead, activating another glyph.

The glyph takes effect, accumulating several dark clouds. Once they cover the entire ship, ice shards descend and embed themselves into the wings and hull.

One shard pierces through the pilot's windshield, but fails to stop their flight.

Suddenly, a fireball launches at Glynda from the side of the Bullhead. Squinting, Jaune could see the outline of a women in high heels and a red dress.

 _An accomplice? But I'm sure Glynda can take care of any street hoodlum._

With a flick of her riding crop, Glynda deflects the fireball. A red circle appears immediately underneath, forcing her to jump back. A pillar of flame rises toward the sky where she recently stood, sending the rooftop debris flying around chaotically.

The teacher responds instantly, drawing all the shrapnel together to construct a spear. Adding spin, she fires it at the Bullhead.

Several fireballs launch themselves at the makeshift spear, breaking it apart. This proves futile, as the spear reassembles itself and threatens to puncture through the ship.

Right before collision, the craft angles itself toward the spear and it bounces harmlessly off the top. Glynda flicks her whip, separating the spear into three parts and redirecting it towards the plane again.

 _That's it! A perfect flank!_

Right before the impact that ensures their victory, a blast of heat radiates off the plane and disintegrates the shards.

 _Wha...That woman can contest with Glynda? Then what am I standing around here for?_ _Nevermore Series: Feathershot!_

The Grimm feathers spout out from his arms, launching themselves toward the craft. His silver-eyed companion has a similar idea, sending several shots from her rifle to follow shortly after.

Some projectiles ricochet themselves on the side, while the others were blocked by the women in the red dress. None of it were able to stop the plane.

When the barrage stops, the defender takes the opportunity to counterattack. The red circles return and light up around the three, this time in larger quantities; several explosions come forth as they dash towards the rooftop edge to avoid them.

Finally buying enough time, the Bullhead takes off.

 _Well, that just stinks. Can't catch them all right?_ Jaune retorts at himself. Next to him, the girl looks at Glynda with admiration.

"You're a Huntress! Can I have your autograph?"

Jaune makes a mental face palm. _She just endangered herself and the first thing she can think of is an autograph?_ _Wait...maybe she can divert Glynda's wrath!_

He makes a note of the girl's sacrifice before tiptoeing towards the edge of the roof. Not much ground gets covered before he feels a pull towards the huntress.

"And where do you think you're going?" Jaune hears behind him. Hesitantly, he turns around to lock eyes with Glynda's glare.

 _That face is going straight into my nightmares._

* * *

No words were exchanged as the two of them were bought to separate interrogation rooms. While Jaune waits for his examiner, he starts evaluating all his life choices that led him to this point.

 _I wonder how many times Glynda is going to kill me...I really hope it's in the low 10s_. That was the farthest Jaune could get before the door opens, showing Ozpin.

"I did not believe we would meet again so soon." He announces to him, while taking a drink from his faithful companion. "You must have misheard me. I said to _avoid_ trouble, not partake in it. I am beginning to see the reason why Xenith insisted you live on the edge of Vale."

Jaune lets out a dry laugh. "Seems like trouble actively looks for me. Trust me, I am NOT doing this on purpose."

"Xenith said the same thing." Ozpin takes a small pause before adding, "Which also caused a fair share of headaches."

"Ehehehe."

"That was not a compliment." A bit exasperated, Ozpin continues. "We looked at Limelight's footage and listened to the shopkeeper's testimony. Both indicated you mitigated the damage, so I will be lenient in your punishment. It will be..."

"No." Jaune replies. The long day and overexposure to danger finally pushes him toward his breaking point.

"No?" Ozpin did not expect that answer.

The boy gushes out his thoughts. "I see that glint in your eyes. Master had the same exact look when she told me to do something dumb. 'It's just another 100 Grimm,' she said. 'It's only HALF of the forest," she said. 'Just TRY on the dress,' she said." Jaune mentally kicked himself for adding that last one.

"Point is, I just have a feeling your order is going to be ridiculous, unreasonable, or a combination of both. So please allow me to respectfully decline, sir!" He adds that last part in an attempt to appeal.

"Unfortunately, this is your punishment. It is also an order from your commanding officer. I do not believe you are in a position to refuse."

Jaune slumps his head on the table.

 _Oh, woe is me._

 _Life is hopelessness times ten._

 _I miss my bed._

"At least let me say one thing." Ozpin gestures for him to continue. "If something happens during this punishment, you cannot discipline me for it. Since it will be completely out of my control."

 _I'm also scared to get stuck in a loop. One punishment leads to another, and I will never get any time to myself. I'm too young to not finish the Love Across Multiverses trilogy!_

Ozpin nods. "That is acceptable. I will send the details to your scroll later. Now, about this incident..."

"That's right! Is the other girl okay?! She looked like a Huntress-in-training, but their skills vary, and I wasn't..."

"Settle down. Ruby Rose is fine." Jaune lets out a sigh of relief. "She claimed you protected her from an explosion. She was quite worried about you as well."

Jaune stays silent. He recalls the surfaced memory when she looked at him. After a few awkward minutes, he speaks up again.

"A memory of Child's Box came up again."

Ozpin tighten his grip on his cane. With a drink and the burn of alcohol, he urges Jaune to continue.

"I could see their faces clearly. They all looked at me with pleading eyes, asking me why I was the only one to live. I haven't seen it since Master took me in." He struggled to get the words out, with his heartbeat rate increasing and growing headache.

"Would you like for me to request a psychiatrist? I'm sure they can prescribe something..."

"No. I need to face this eventually. This is also the first symptom. If I ever feel like it's affecting my performance, or is too much to handle, I'll let you know."

Ozpin nods. "Keep me updated. A trauma that severe should not be faced alone."

More time slowly passes in silence before Ozpin speaks up again, "I have to take care of matters with Ruby now. The guards have been notified, and I will tell Glynda to let you be."

"Thanks," Jaune whispers to Ozpin as he walks out the door.

After his headache subsides, he leaves the interrogation room.

* * *

Returning to the office, Ozpin informs Glynda about his conversation with Jaune. Glynda's eyes narrows in disapproval with how light the boy's chastising was.

"Ozpin, he needs to realize the effects of his actions!"

"He will, but he needs space right now. You cannot hold him to the same standards as a trained Hunter, when he is just a teenager. Even if he is destined take the 1019 position, you cannot judge him before he settles into it."

"Disobeying orders so blatantly..." the headmistress trailed off.

Ozpin considers how much he should inform Glynda. _She will be working with him, and I would prefer if he gets all the allies he can. I can disclose a few details._

"Glynda. Are you aware of an experiment called Child's Box?" She stiffens up at the name.

"I have heard rumors. It was an experiment, born of desperation, to control Grimm. This ranges from mind control to even attaching Grimm appendages to children... They hoped it would allow them to communicate with the Grimm and to make use of their abilities. But that was a rumor; it would be far too unethical to conduct."

"That was just how well the Council swept it under the rug. Many things slipped through the cracks after the Faunus Rights Revolution." Ozpin finishes his drink. "The experiment was very much real, and Jaune was the only survivor. However, I use the word survivor very liberally."

"That does explain his semblance..."

"Slightly. From what I know, his semblance is entirely his. The experiment merely activated it. Some children were able to control their Grimm counterparts, but none lived very long. The...experiment, if we can even call it such, was called Child's Box, because the box was a euphemism for a coffin."

Glynda's face softens as she considers Jaune's past. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I wish for you to understand his origins. After his escape, he did not express a single word. It took a year of coaxing before Xenith could make him speak, and another two before he showed any signs of emotion." Ozpin sighs. "He suffers from survivor's guilt, believing that he has done something wrong to survive when the others did not. That is why he used himself as a shield for Ruby; he believes he could atone by saving a life with his own. If you were to chastise him now, he would only feel worse."

Glynda grabs her elbow awkwardly. "It seems like I still have much to learn as a teacher."

"I believe you can use this as reference for the more exemplary students this year. And," Ozpin looks at the file of Ruby Rose in front of him, "there are plenty."

* * *

The scroll's screen updates itself to 10:00 am, timing itself with the alarm. Jaune attempts to hit the snooze button, but with eyes closed, it became a Herculean task.

 _Might as well wake up. Ozpin probably sent me the details of my mission._

Begrudgingly, he gets up to wash his face and take a shower. As his sleepiness washes away, he recollects yesterday's events.

 _Ugh. I hope today is infinitely less exciting. Life is good with a little trouble, not drowning in it._

Throwing his clothes into the laundry, he takes the chance to check his scroll. As expected, Ozpin sent him an email.

 _To Jaune,_

 _As I stated previously, you will now receive the details of your mission. The SDC is hosting a dinner party tonight, which I was graciously invited to. However, due to prior engagements (And not because President Schnee is a bore to talk to), I will be unable to attend. You will attend as my representative. Please do not disappoint._

 _Attached is the invite, location, and time. Make sure to dress formally._

 _Tata,_

 _Ozpin_

At the end was an emoji of a character sticking their tongue out.

 _There are so many things wrong with this I don't know where to start. Is this what they call an internet persona? I feel bad for calling him a robot now...which I will now replace with prick. What kind of teacher makes his student attend his party for him, just because he doesn't want to go? Well, at least he didn't wait till the last minute..._

Checking the time, he calculates he has seven hours to get ready. He considers his preparations, making a note to obtain White Dust.

 _I shouldn't even be surprised that I will end up using Daybreak._

Going through the list of preparations, he despairs over the last task.

He types into his scroll, "how to party fancy," and scowls at his most hated enemy.

 _Studying..._

* * *

The party was held at one the SDC's personal buildings. Thankfully, it was close to his hotel so he did not have to travel very far. Unthankfully, he was the only teenager there, making him very out of place.

Jaune did a bit of research beforehand. The building is a refurbished castle, used by royalty long ago. Once a symbol of the kingdom's strength, it now stands as an example of wasteful spending.

 _The SDC better not skimp out on the food. If there is any way I survive two hours with old rich guys, it's good food._

On his way to the entrance, he was stopped six times. Each time, he explains himself as Ozpin's representative, showing them the ticket. Each time, they search him with a short interrogation before letting him go.

 _Security is tight. At least they took my Huntsman excuse to let me keep my weapon. Though the thick security probably means I won't have to use it. Ha. Ha. Ha._

Showing his ticket one last time, he is given access to the building. Walking forward, he does a full scan of the room. The room is large enough to hold a few hundred people. A large glass chandelier hangs in the center, which one would pass when walking up the stairs. Though there are lights, the torches on the walls were all lit, giving a solemn atmosphere.

Jaune is escorted to the ballroom. A few glances were thrown at him, but he ignores them as he walks past.

 _Not like I'll ever see them again. My social skills aside, there will never be another reason for me to be here_.

The ballroom's design mirrors the room at the entrance. However, instead of one chandelier, there were several, each bigger than the last. The lights refract off them, giving a diamond design on the dance floor. Surrounding the dance floor were spacious tables, each with a number designation. There is a stage on the very front where he assumes the speeches will be made.

Looking around, Jaune sees that only a few have taken their seats. Most are walking around, having light conversation with their peers. Overhearing a few of them, their topics consist of company profits to family vacations.

 _Since I don't know anyone, I should just take my seat. Don't want to embarrass myself with anything way over my head._

Checking his table number, he strolls over to his table. However, he was stopped halfway by an elderly man of pure white hair and moustache. With a white suit and white tie over his collared blue shirt, he is the splitting look when one considers "businessman." Matching the color scheme, his white eyebrows raise as he examines Jaune.

"Greetings. I do not believe we have been acquainted? I am the host of this party, President Schnee." He extends out a hand.

"It is an honor to meet you, sir." Jaune grasps the hand, trying to remember the contents he read. "My name is Jaune Arc. I am acting as the representative for Ozpin."

"I see. I had high hopes I could see my old friend today. There were a few things I wish to discuss with him, especially with my daughter's enrollment at his school. Tell me, Jaune, what is your relation to the headmaster?"

The man gave him a cold look. It is the look of a predator stalking his prey, seeing any weaknesses to exploit, any reasons to suspect.

 _This guy is dangerous. He didn't become President Schnee by being nice. Quickly, remember the lesson. Uhh...Lie and deflect!_

"I am one of his students. Due to my exemplary behavior, he has granted me the privilege of attending this party. You mentioned your daughter will attend Beacon Academy? You must be proud of her."

"Of course. However, I feel flabbergasted that she chooses not to attend Atlas Academy. Perhaps it is the sentiment speaking, but I would like for her to stay in my care. It was one of the topics I had wish to discuss with Ozpin today."

He stares at Jaune, insinuating he is the culprit for Ozpin's absence.

"Unfortunately, Ozpin is a busy man. I will be sure to bring up the topic when I see him. Until that changes, I feel privileged to study with your daughter." He takes a small bow before walking away.

 _I want to throw up just saying those words, not to mention that pressure. How the hell does Ozpin handle it?_

Sitting down, he realizes he has never seen Ozpin without his mug. _I need to get whatever he's drinking._

The voices hush all around him as everyone takes their seat. The spot next to him is empty, while the other was occupied by someone focused on whispering to their partner.

A man walks up to the stage, beginning his speech. Jaune follows his instinct and instantly starts tuning all of it out.

 _I understand that Ozpin may not like President Schnee, but this is a big risk on their relationship to send me. And it definitely is not worth risking the SDC's wrath. He was also way too easy to accept that condition of mine. It's almost like he expects me to make up some trouble..._

As Jaune considers all the possible reasons, a girl of his age walks forth to the stage. She wears a light blue and white dress, with her long white hair tied in an off center ponytail. She carries a fencing sword at her side with a multicolored revolving hilt. Her most distinguishing feature are her sharp ice blue eyes; they look down at you, as if she stands at an unscalable cliff.

 _Wait, I didn't see her around. Was she behind the stage for her performance?_

"Good evening, friends and family of the Schnee Dust Company. Most of us have been acquainted; if not, I am Weiss Schnee, daughter of the esteemed President Schnee. I have the honor of performing today for my father's forty-second birthday. I will be singing will be an original, named 'Mirror Mirror.' Please enjoy the showing."

A light applause fills the room as Weiss walks toward the microphone. The applause dies out as the music starts playing.

"Mirror, tell me something...Tell me who's the loneliest of all?"

 _She's...good._

As she continues singing, Jaune could feel how deep her emotions connect with the song.

 _I don't know much about music, but I can tell it's not just her singing talent that's carrying the song. She pours her heart and soul into writing this, into conveying her loneliness. It reminds me of..._

He notices Weiss' eyes never left her father. With the previous conversation, it all clicks into his head.

 _She wants to persuade him, to let her attend Beacon. I...I can respect that. But I don't think he sees it the same way._

As the song draws to a close, Jaune feels a tinge of guilt.

 _I doubt anyone here can understand her song. They are all surrounded by people who will always be around them for their wealth, but never for the person themselves. This...this was deeply personal. It feels like I got a glimpse of her personal world without her permission_.

The song ends with the audience's applause. Weiss looks around to see the mass of faces, especially her father's, stay unchanged from the performance. She gives a small sigh before attempting to leave the stage.

Three loud crashes echo throughout the ballroom before she gets the opportunity. A ten feet tall bronze knight bursts on to the stage, with two exact replicas coming from the back of the ballroom. They all pull out six feet long swords from their back, ready to strike.

 _If there is a god, then please try harder. I'm not even surprised at this point. But I don't understand... The only people bold enough to attack would be the White Fang, but I don't see any of their members._

Bodyguards around the room pull out their weapons, taking shots at the knights at the back. A few with large hatchets charge them as well, auras glowing.

 _Good. They're prioritizing the ones blocking the escape route, and with their focus to get civilians out. I should do the same._

Jaune leaves his seat while taking a brief glance at the stage.

 _?! Why is no one helping her?! She's the daughter of the President! Her importance is only second to his!_

The singer faces the bronze knight, fencing sword in her left hand. The Giant Armor swings the great sword at her, but she dodges with a practiced back flip.

Immediately, she launches herself toward the knight, sword aiming for the helmet. It blocks the stab with its sword as she uses the momentum as a twirl in the air, landing behind the knight.

The knight swings exactly the same way as his first attack and gets read by Weiss. She dashes toward his right, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth.

The giant's sword stabs into the ground, making it difficult to remove. She uses this opportunity jump and make eight lightning-fast jabs at the inanimate, striking around the shoulder.

Unhindered, the knight extracts the sword from the ground, twisting its body to swing horizontally towards her. In the air, she has no place to maneuver and is forced to block. The swords collision sent her flying a few feet, but she looks undamaged.

The scene of the lone girl against the knight reminds Jaune of her song.

 _This..doesn't sit right with me. Ozpin said he wouldn't reprimand me for doing anything, but I would still feel remorse if I were to ignore Glynda's order again. She's only looking out for me...But would I be able to sleep at night if I just ignored Weiss right here?_

The knight continues his attack, jumping at her with an overhead swing. She rolls sideways to dodge the attack, but the knight does not let up. A shallow swing at her feet forces her to jump back; he follows up with an immediate attack before she gets the chance to recover.

Weiss uses the precious second to bring her sword up to block. The impact still sends her a few feet away, out of the knight's range.

Unwavering, she casts a white glyph underneath her feet. It accelerates her toward the assailant, who attempts to swing and match her speed. The sword crashes in the ground as he misread the timing. Not missing the opportunity, Weiss uses her blade to take two swings at its torso.

Exploiting her speed and glyphs, she dances around the knight, stabbing at any joints in her range. The knight tries to counterattack, but each swing only hits air.

 _That was beautiful._ That thought makes Jaune's decision for him. He runs toward the stage, sword unsheathed, while calling forth his bracelet.

 _Goliath Series: Reinforcement!_ The black matter comes forth again, covering both his arms and legs. Permeating through his skin, they weave itself around his muscles, pushing them past their limits.

 _I'm at 75% corruption again. I really hope this situation doesn't call for using any more of Twilight Bracelet._

Eventually, the knight deduces the girl's strategy. Deliberating leaving an opening at his right elbow, she takes the bait. She uses a glyph to stand in the air near the opening, ready to continue her assault. The giant did not allow her, sending the blade flying towards her.

Forced to dodge, she hops and lands on the glyph again, persistent in this attack. However, a fist comes hurling at her. Unable to summon another glyph, the punch completely goes through, sending her flying.

 _Dammit!_ Jaune finally jumps on to the stage, with his weapons ready. Weiss gets back up, with a trail of red running down her left eye.

"What are you doing? I can do this fight alone!" Weiss yells at the stranger.

"That doesn't mean you have to!" Jaune retorts back.

Before she has the chance to argue, the knight swings the sword at both of them, forcing them to separate.

"Follow my lead!" the white hair girl spins her revolver hilt, landing with red at the marker.

"Screw that!" Jaune darts toward the knight, keeping an eye on its shoulder. The moment it swings, he has already read its trajectory.

 _How predictable!_ He rolls underneath the blade, and slides between the knight's legs.

Unable to instantly adjust its center of gravity, the armored body was unwillingly slashed from the back. Dents finally appear on its armor where Daybreak cuts into.

 _Indestructible? Yeah right! Let's see Daybreak poke holes into your papier mache armor!_

Identifying him as the bigger threat, the Giant Armor turns around to face him. Weiss immediately takes advantage of the distraction.

She stabs into the armor's left elbow, simultaneously activating the red Dust set. With a quick swing, its arm comes clean off and flies off the stage.

Realizing it could not fight two people at once, the knight charges at Jaune, attempting to remove him from the fight.

However, the partners have already realized its weakness. They take turns distracting it, slashing and cutting into as any opportunity that opens up.

In desperation, the armor throws the sword at Jaune.

 _Wha-?!_

Unable to dodge in time, he brings up Daybreak to block. The jolt knocks the sword out of his hand, landing next to his feet. The inanimate takes the chance, slamming his fist towards him.

"Blondie!" Weiss cries out as the ringing sound of the impact reaches her. Yet, when she looks at him, she seems something surprising.

He has his arms up, holding the fist only a few inches away from his face. With a large grin across his face, he quips back, "I would like my last conversation to at least have my name in it!"

The contest of strength continues. As the bracelet glows, he could feel the pulse of Grimm strengthening him.

 _Well, if it works once._

Calling forth his aura again, he directs it all towards his arms. The muscles scream in protest as the two colliding forces pump power into his flesh, way past their limits.

"GAHHHHHHHHHH!"

With that one last shout, he pushes back against the knight. The force not only flipped it backwards, but also sent it flying and somersaulting through the air.

"NOW!"

Weiss takes the suggestion and launches six glyphs at the Giant Armor. Shoulders. Legs. Pelvis. Neck. They hold it in the air as Weiss spins the revolver one last time. The entire blade glows white, runes running through the blade. She launches herself straight through the heart of the armor, the sword ripping through like butter.

Defeated, the knight lands and disappears as a collection of ice shards.

Jaune scours around the room. Only one enemy stands, with a broken arm and lost sword. President Schnee frowns at him with more animosity than the look at the start of the party.

 _That's my cue to get out._

Picking up Daybreak, Jaune walks toward hole the invaders made.

"Wait, I never got your name!" Weiss asks the blonde as he jumps out.

"Jaune's the name, and don't you forget it, princess!" He replies while pretending to shoot an imaginary gun at her. He hears a faint "dolt" as he escapes the building.

Jogging back, he couldn't help but feel like he forgot something.

 _Wait, isn't my suit a rental?_

He looks at his formalwear. Rips and holes littered around, with pieces dangling out. The clothes looked like they took a trip to hell and back.

 _Something tells me they won't take this back. Or take my explanation._ Jaune thought as he runs toward the rental shop.

* * *

 **Whew, and that's another chapter! That finishes up the meeting with team RWBY. Also, I do have plans to include Melanie/Milita more. They will get their chance in the spotlight!**

 **Umu. I'm really tired now from writing this, but as always, I hope you guys enjoy reading this! Any reviews would be much appreciated to help me approve, and to motivate me to keep writing~**


	5. Chapter 4: Intermission

**Mithos here! Whew, this one was FUN to write. I initially wanted to start Initiation, but as I kept writing I realized it wouldn't really fit in the tone. Plus, it would have been a longggg chapter. So I decide to end on a happy note. So as I promised, here is Miltia/Melanie interactions. It also won't be the only time they come up. I'm of the belief that all characters are multidimensional and influence the story, even if because of that the chapters go on for long. I would rather spend more time fleshing out good characters than to shorten and cheapen them.**

 **Anyway, please have as much fun reading as I did writing this!**

* * *

"So everything's repaired?" Jaune asks, as he examines the nightclub again. The floor had its design fixed, and the glass cylinder looked like it was never damaged.

As there are still two days before initiation, he had nothing better to do than to hang around Limelight.

 _I wanted to stay at the arcade, but they told me to get out when they closed. Stupid kids and their curfew. At least Junior's cool._

Junior knew how to make good conversation, and they were not lacking in material to talk about.

"Yup. Turns out Ozpin has contingencies when a Hunter goes crazy. Who knew hormonal kids with superpowers and lethal weapons could be so dangerous?" Junior asks rhetorically.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I just have a plain old sword. Glynda, on the other hand..."

"Why are you so afraid of Glynda? She hasn't done anything, right? She's just looked at you funny." Junior recalls his school days. "Actually, I think she had the same look as a student too."

"It's not about what she's done, it's about her plan. I feel like every little thing mistake I make, she adds it to a mental list that she will read from at my funeral. Or as she justifies killing me."

"Now there's a thought. But I doubt that. During her school days, all the guys were afraid of her, thinking she would never give them the time of day. I would know, I was one of those guys. The girls all admired her from afar, idolizing her strict nature. But since she never loosened up, she probably wasn't able to make any close friends. I'm sure she just doesn't know any way to work a relationship outside of a professional one." He pauses as he considers telling the extra information. "If the rumors are correct, I'm also pretty sure she's also never been in a sexual relationship, either."

"Okay, my teacher's relationship problems aside," M _y teacher's private lives are the last thing I want to consider._ "do you know anything interesting to do around Vale? I don't want to just sit around the hotel room, and the arcades can only entertain me for so long."

"Hmmm...Why don't you take the twins out for a date?" Junior suggests.

"Wait, aren't they like your daughters? Are you sure about that?" _I am not confident in my ability to keep girls entertained. Especially ones opposite of me in the 'cool' and 'cute' spectrum. Aka, the 'out of my league' portion._

"It'll be fine. It's not like you will do anything to them, _right_?" Junior declares, voice oozing with bloodlust.

 _That's not a question, it's a threat!_ "No, of course not, sir! I will not do anything strange or inappropriate while in the presence of your beautiful and pure daughters, sir!"

"Good. Have fun then. I'm sure the girls would appreciate having a guy carry their bags for them."

"Right..." _If this is anything remotely similar to a meeting with the father-in-law, I am never getting married. Never, ever._

"Alright, I'll give the twins your contact info so you can decide where and when to meet up. Remember, _best behavior._ "

"Ha. Ha. Ha." The dry laugh escapes from the blonde. "So what should I wear? I feel like they won't approve of this." He points toward his hoodie and jeans.

"If you want my honest opinion? They're going to rag on you no matter what you wear. So just prepare yourself mentally for the incoming abuse."

Jaune gulps. _Is there a curse on me that surrounds me with scary women?_

After sharing a few more conversations and drinks, the nightclub becomes more lively as groups stream in.

"Alright, it's time to get out. This still isn't exactly a place a kid should hang around. Oh," Junior pauses and uses the chance to give the blonde a business card. "Let me know if you need anything. I may not be able to help you, but I know people who can."

"Thanks, Junior. I'm going to owe you a lot of favors." Jaune stands up, giving a small bow.

"Save it. Your master has done way too much for me. Just consider it as me repaying the favor. Actually, if you really want to pay me back, do your god damn job. If I see your name in the obituary, she's not going to be the only one to kick your ass."

"I wouldn't have enough lives for that," Jaune retorts before leaving the building.

* * *

Jaune examines his clothes as he waits in front of the train station. Ignoring Junior's advice, he decides to wear a white collar shirt with black pants. Since he only owned sneakers, there wasn't any options on that battlefront.

 _I should at least try. Maybe I secretly am really fashionable!_

He makes a mental note of Junior's last message. The man sent him details on how to tell the twins apart. The message also contained some scathing words in case he fails to differentiate or if there were any funny business.

 _One, they both wear their favorite colors. Melanie wears white with light blue patterns. Miltia wears red with black patterns. Second, Miltia has a higher octave voice than Melanie when speaking. Finally, Melanie tends to take control of the situation, rather than Miltia._

Jaune sulks when he considers the emergency option.

 _The two sometimes like to play a game, pretending to be the other. When that happens, it becomes impossible to tell them apart. The only way, also known as the last option, is to say something extremely embarrassing to them. The one to punch you first is Miltia._

 _Great, I get to embarrass myself and take a hit. I'm not going to take that option, thank you very much_.

Lost in thought, the blonde did not notice the twins approach. Melanie pinches his cheeks to catch his attention.

"Did you wait long?" she asks. Her dual follows up. "Good job. Points for being early."

Jaune looks up. As expected, Melanie wore a white sun dress while Miltia wore a red A-line dress with a black striped pattern.

"No, it wasn't very long. Besides, when I consider the wait is for you two, it makes it all the worthwhile." the blonde answers. _Just have to copy and say enough lines from "True Love". I hope they aren't too cheesy._

"Ooo. Bonus points for that line, even if it is a bit cheesy." Melanie replies, standing on Jaune's right side.

"At least you took the effort." Milta takes the left. "Although your clothes are a bit shabby."

The two simultaneously lock arms with him, pulling him forward. Surprised by the contact, red flushes the boy's face.

"Ar..Aren't you two standing a bit close? I don't think Junior would approve." The thought of his wrath slightly calms him down.

"He doesn't approve of boys, period." Miltia answers.

"To be fair, look at our surroundings. Not a lot of good boys." Melanie tightens her hold. "You're different, right?"

Unable to say the words, he hesitantly nods.

 _THERE IS NO WAY GAMES PREPARED ME FOR THIS! SIMULATIONS THEY ARE NOT_. Being so close, he could now smell their perfume. _ABORT! ABORT!_

Unfortunately for the blonde, the way the twins held him made resistance futile. The two fully enjoy teasing the boy, taking his red face as motivation to continue.

"Are you unhappy about having two flowers by your side?" Melanie inquires.

Miltia gives a small pout before adding, "Melanie, does that mean he doesn't like us?"

 _That look is unfair!_ Jaune screams introspectively. _How do I answer that?!_

Trying to summon a line to say, he randomly recalls one in hopes it would help his situation.

"Of course not. Looking at two beautiful roses, I could not help but feel a desire to pluck and hold them close. However, my selfishness will only make them wither, so I advert my gaze as to not give in to my desire."

 _What the hell did I just say? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?_

The two look at him in surprise, their cheeks now both slightly rouge. Even the makeup could not hide the red that arise from the statement.

In an attempt to recover, Melanie speaks up. "So you see both of us as roses? I am flattered." Miltia lightly punches him, unable to say anything.

The group walks toward the shopping district in silence, only broken by Melanie as she attempts to tease the blonde again.

* * *

The date consists of mostly looking at clothes. The twins would pick out something, asking for his opinion, before disregarding it to make their own conclusion.

 _I mean, I'm not a fashion master, but at least consider my comments._

After going through a few shops, Jaune notices that they did not want him to talk about the clothes, but how the clothes match the two. This realization made the conversation easier; the twins even purchased some of the clothes he complimented.

As Jaune observes the two at their last shopping stop, he starts making out a clear contrast between the two. Despite being twins, they each have their own way in seeing the world. While Melanie would take control, not being afraid to act before considering the consequences, Miltia would take in the details, holding her sister back when she ignores something.

An example of this is right in front of him. Melanie takes a dress, talking to the cashier about how the piece of clothing is mispriced. Miltia points out the rising popularity of the designer being the reason, before returning the dress to the hanger. Melanie instantly then picks out something, already set on buying it, before Miltia mentions the missing frail on the side.

 _They really complement each other_. _Miltia will scrutinize over the details, never making a decision. Melanie would choose something, but not realize the first thing she spots is not always the best. It's cute._

His thoughts were interrupted as he is pulled toward the scene, asking to pick between two different color shades of the same dress.

* * *

With the clock hitting one, Jaune finally catches a break. He could feel the exhaustion of having to carry six bags of clothes around creep in. However, the twins were collected, ready to dive back to shopping.

"Let's get lunch," Melanie suggests, the words being music to his ears.

"Rose Cafe?" her counterpart answers, and they nod in agreement.

Jaune follows behind them as they make their way deeper into the city. A few minutes later, they arrive at a two story building, with a sign labeled 'Rose Cafe.' All the tables were occupied, and an estimated wait timer of an hour was shown.

"They seem busy, maybe we can..." He is unable to finish his sentence as the twins walk past the line, forcing him to follow.

Upon reaching the front, Melanie simply states, "Table for three." The waiter nods, gesturing them to follow.

"Did you make a reservation?" the blonde asks Miltia.

"Something like that," she coyly answers, not revealing anything.

The three are led up to the second floor and escorted to an empty table on the balcony.

The waiter places a menu in front of each seat, before taking a small bow and walking away.

The twins take the seats next to each other as Jaune sits across from them. "How did we ignore the line? The estimated wait was an hour!" Jaune asks. "You didn't threaten them beforehand, right?"

Miltia lets out a light giggle. "Our secondary job grants us privileges like this. You don't think we just sit around the club all day, right?"

 _Well, not anymore. Wait, did she answer the question?_

Melanie follows up. "The tea here is too good to pass up. That's why it gets really busy here during lunchtime." She takes a short glance at the menu before closing it again.

Miltia leaves her menu unopened, gesturing the waiter to take their order. "Do you know what you want, Jaune?"

He takes a peek at the menu. _I have no idea what any of these things are. I'm pretty sure that name isn't in English, and the same tea is listed four times._

"No idea." He closes the menu. "Could you order for me?"

"It's good that you're honest." Melanie throws a smile at him. "Most guys try to impress by ordering the most expensive thing on the menu."

Miltia nods. "By the way, the most expensive thing is snail." Jaune frowns at that statement.

 _I have not had snail. I do not look forward to eating snail. I will not order snail._

The waiter comes around, as Miltia and Melanie lists off the orders. After writing it in his notepad, the waiter takes a small bow before leaving again.

"You didn't order me snail, right?" The blonde inquires worriedly.

"No, silly. I ordered you something much better." A sigh of relief shows on the boy's face.

 _Wait. Which meaning of better did she mean? I really hope she's just teasing me again..._

Before he has a chance to voice his thoughts, Melanie speaks up. "Enjoying the view?"

"Yeah." Looking out from the balcony, he could see office workers crossing the street. On the other side, there was a small park where children could be seen playing. Focusing his eyes, he could see the edge of the port where ships are lined up.

"The park's a nice touch." This was the wrong thing to say as he could feel bloodlust coming from the twins.

"I meant us, Jaune." Melanie sighs. "How did someone like you say such a smooth line like before?"

Miltia attempts to give an answer. "Maybe it was luck? Or it's a hidden power."

"I...can't answer that. It just came to me." _Through a game. Which I make a note to replay, because apparently that line was good._

"Maybe it's a hidden talent. They do say everyone is talented with at least one thing," the girl in white acknowledges.

"That would be cool, to say suave...wait, did you just insinuate I'm not good at anything else?!" the boy exclaims.

The two girls both laugh. "Your reactions are so honest. We can't help it."

"It's cute. It'll make you popular with the ladies. Of age fifty and over."

"Gee, thanks. You two really lay the insults on thick, huh?" Jaune could not help but grin as well.

After the food arrives, they talk about their past. Jaune mostly talks about his hectic yesterday, while the twins reveal how they knew Junior.

They were orphans, vagabonds forced to steal to stay alive. One day, Junior caught them stealing from him. Not wanting to see the children live on the streets, his good conscience compelled him to take them in, treating the two as his own daughters.

"Considering how much he's done for us, the least we can do to repay him back is with helping him out." Melanie finishes.

"He's reluctant though. Our business is in the moral gray area." Miltia adds on.

Jaune, finishing his sandwich, responds. "That's so...heartwarming!" A few tears stream down his face. "The three of you are family."

 _Even though their story is overused in games, having them being physically in front of me telling the story opened the flood works. And they're just like me..._

"Jaune, there are people around!" Melanie looks around nervously. A few patrons look and point at the crying boy, wondering what had happened.

"It's okay! We're happy now." Miltia hugs her sister in an attempt to appease the boy. "So please stop crying?"

"Really?" The boy sniffles while the two nod vigorously. "That was pretty embarrassing. Sorry about that." He wipes his face with a napkin.

Noticing they finished their food, the waiter brings them the check; he showed no signs of concern for the boy. Jaune takes the check and pays for it before the two could react.

They leave the cafe, not wanting to stay under the scrutiny of the other customers.

"So what do we do now?" the blonde inquires.

Before the two could answer, two large men walk up and commence talking. "Hey you cuties. You have any plans?" The other adds, "Why don't you ditch short and scraggly there and have some fun with us?"

Jaune takes the chance to examine the two. They wore blue and white golf polo shirts with running shorts. The clothes revealed their beefy muscles, implying heavy lifting training.

 _Their faces aren't that bad, but their condescending look makes me want to punch their face. And did they call me scraggly?_

Before Jaune had the chance to argue, the twins had already responded.

"We like him this way," Melanie answers. "At least they won't break bones with a handshake," Miltia adds.

"Oh, don't be like that." The man in the blue shirt grabs Melanie's shoulder. This was a mistake.

The two simultaneously launched their attacks. Miltia elbows the man abdomen, while Melanie kicks the other in the crotch. They both fall to the floor in pain.

"Whatever. Let's go." The two took his hand and pull him forward.

 _I feel bad for the two. Only marginally._

"Wait, where are we going? We have already visited every shop around the mall!"

The twins send the other a nod of agreement. "We went to every _female_ store in the mall." Miltia answers him.

Melanie scans Jaune up and down. "You need to look the part. If you dressed better, those two wouldn't have tried anything."

Jaune attempts to protest, but realizes they were right.

 _My wardrobe does only include casual clothes. Maybe I should take their advice and guidance._

They enter the first men's clothing store they saw, as the surrounding men send jealous gazes toward his way.

 _Oh boy, it's going to be a long day._

* * *

Jaune drops off the bags on to the apartment floor.

 _I did not expect to visit another twenty shops! What kind of stamina do they have?_

His arms were sore from the baggage. _I may have the muscles for it, but it still hurts_ _like hell_.

Seeing his fatigue, Melanie aims to make him feel better. "Thanks Jaune. We usually don't buy so much, but since you were here..."

Miltia nods in agreement. "You can take a shower here, while we sort out our _reward_."

Jaune misses the dangerous tone Miltia spoke in. "Thanks. It'll make me feel a lot better."

He steps into the bath and lets the hot water remove his fatigue. Thinking about today's date, he smirked to himself.

 _That went well for my first date. I didn't terribly embarrass myself,_ he ignored the fact he had cried, _and they looked like they had fun! Well, most of it was at my expense, but that's okay_. _And despite how they look, they were even nice enough to help me pick out clothes!_

As he recalls the day's events, he became too lost in thought to hear the menacing shuffling sounds in the bathroom. After a few minutes, he turns off the water and step out of the bath. Grabbing a towel to dry himself, he stops when he sees what the twins' plan were.

"Melanie?" He shouts to try and get her attention.

"Yes Jaune?" Miltia answers from outside the bathroom door instead.

"Where are my clothes?" Jaune asks nervously.

"They're right there?" She throws the question back at him.

"Miltia. This. Is. A. Dress." He holds up the white strapless dress in question.

A few seconds past before she responds. "I don't see a problem," scampering off after that reply.

 _GOD DAMN IT._ He screams in his head. _I take back what I said. Those two are devils. Only pure evil could do something like this._

 _Okay, let's consider your options._ Two text boxes appear in his head. _1\. Walk out without anything, and risk Junior's wrath._ _2\. Put on the dress, and embarrass myself for all of eternity. Both options suck, but one lets me keep my head..._

Reluctantly, he puts on the dress. _It even fits me perfectly! Did they keep track of my sizes while we were shopping?_ Not sure if he was disturbed or relieved by that fact, he steps out of the bathroom.

As he enters the living room, the twins turn to look at him. Melanie just smiles, as Miltia covers her mouth in an attempt to hide hers.

"Looking good, Jaune. I think those guys would have flirted with you instead if you wore that," Melanie teases him.

Miltia blushes as she considers the indecent idea.

"Yeah, laugh it up. You may think this is a low point, but I've had worse." He recalls Master's attempt at the same thing. _Yup. Much. Worse._

"No, really, you look good. Actually, sit down." She points at the seat in front of a large mirror.

Giving up, he takes the seat. Looking at the mirror, the dress really did fit him. The color actually matches his skin tone...

 _DANGER. That train of thought leads to dangerous territory! Inescapable territory! But if I look good..._

He shakes the thought out as the twins bring out a makeup set.

"We are going to make you look _good_." She starts applying foundation.

The next hour became torture for him. As Melanie applies the makeup, Miltia took a camera out, furiously taking photos. They also bring out wigs to match with the dress. When they finish, Jaune could not recognize himself in the mirror, with the long black hair and flower hairclips. If his eyes were green, he might be misunderstood as a sibling of the two.

Events coincide as Junior walks in, right as they finish. "Hey, you're back. Who's the pretty new friend you bo..." he realizes his error as he says it. "Jaune, is that you?"

He immediately answers. "We will not talk about this. Ever."

Miltia hands Junior the camera. "Take a picture! I am keeping this _forever_."

The twins take positions left and right of him, smiles beaming. Jaune finally cracks, realizing they want a record of today's date, and smiles as well.

With a snap, the picture is taken. Junior hands the camera back to Miltia, and deals Jaune the final blow. "Well, if your Hunter career ends up not working out, at least you will have a backup career." This causes giggles from the twins. "Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I have to prepare for initiation." Jaune answers as Miltia hands him his clothes back. "I want to focus on not failing plan A."

Once he is in the bathroom, he takes off the dress and puts his own clothes back on. Handing the dress back to Miltia outside the door, he starts to wash the makeup off his face.

 _I've missed you. I will never cheat on you._ He silently talks to his clothes. _I will never leave you again, my lovable partner._

Returning to the living room, Miltia hands him his bags of clothes from the mall. "Come visit us sometimes, okay?" she says, giving him a sad puppy eyes look.

Melanie brings him to the exit. "We really did enjoy today. We don't get any chance to hang out around boys our age, and you really made it worth it." Miltia nods in agreement.

"Yeah...thanks for today's date. I'll visit at the first chance I get," he answers while waving goodbye.

As he walks away, he could hear shouts behind him. "Don't forget about us at Beacon!" and "Don't let other girls eat you up!" they shouted.

As Jaune returns back to his hotel, the twins' radiant smiles were the only thing on his mind.

* * *

 **Thanks to everyone who read up to this far! I hope I did the twin's character justice...they have so much POTENTIAL! With the currently airing anime Re:Zero, I wanted my own try at good twin characters.**

 **As always, please let me know anything I could do to improve! Any and all comments are useful to me~**

 **I will take this time to reply to a few comments:**

 **IWEYC: Yup, I'm a college student. I was actually worried about my grammar, so I'm glad it wasn't an issue. I know what it's like to lose a good story due to it.**

 **Torturer-of-Souls: You're right about Yang's weight, sorry about that. Numbers are hard... I guess I'll retcon it to 65kg? What does it say that the first thing I retcon is a girl's weight...**

 **Cain: Once again, you're right. Ughhh, I feel bad for Yang...Don't worry, she'll get much development for the mistakes I made. I promise!**

 **Raven Kight: Mmm, his power isn't explosive like the Maiden's. While the Maidens power come from magic and the elements, which are very destructive, Jaune's is more versatile and is more based on how strong the parts he's using are.**

 **Inquisitor: To try and not just make one massive chapter about his master, I'll try and put small details here and there. Don't worry, there will be a lot more information about here as the story goes along.**

 **Mo Eazy: The description was actually my original intention. But I didn't want Jaune to just be a Grimm-like creature, so that part of the story ended up being used in his backstory instead. Don't worry, his semblance has a HUGE effect on his character, and I will definitely add more on to it later. His powers seem like a "Game" thing because I was thinking of .Hack while writing it. OH, and it definitely will have its disadvantages, but I wanted to show off all the "cool" parts of it first. With Yang...yeah, I feel like I didn't do her justice now T_T' She's going to get more screentime later that I'll try and rectify that with. And this chapter, I added more of the "gaming" elements you mentioned. I'll look and see TFS series, it sounds like fun. And, with Faunus in this world, Nekopara (Or Nyan Nyan Masters) is going to be a thing.**

 **tsun: I don't have any plans to change up the teams, sorry! I didn't twist Jaune's character enough to really quite justify it (He's still the awkward, misplaced confidence teen we all know, with understanding others being unreliable (games can only carry him so much). And with how similar Pyrrha is to his master, it was one of the ways I was going to build on her character.**


	6. Chapter 5: Partners Pt 1

**Mithos here again! Sorry for the slow update (compared to usual), but I spent more time writing and refining this one as my previous ones. I sent it to a few of my friends and they told me it could use a bit more work, so hopefully that shows.**

 **As always, please enjoy the read!**

* * *

"Did it really take you two days to get a chance to talk to me?" Jaune asks Ozpin through his scroll.

Today is the day Beacon Academy opens its gates for students. Jaune currently rides the airship toward the school, leaning against the wall while scowling at the scroll in use to contact Ozpin.

"I am still the Headmaster. I have been busy the last few days preparing for the first-year students. There is nothing you have to concern yourself about."

"Except there was!" The airship slows down and prepares for docking. The slight shaking only unsettles the blonde more. "I think I angered President Schnee. Being a man of power, I don't know if he's going to send someone to erase me!" The blonde whispers, with his eyes darting around the ship, closely examining everyone around him. "I don't even know if I'm being watched right now."

Ozpin stares at him blankly. "Do not worry, I have already resolved the issue. While you are at my school, you are under my jurisdiction. I doubt he will be that blatant about his motives."

The airship stops as Ozpin finishes talking.

"I hope you're right. For the last couple of days, I think I made as many enemies as friends." Jaune recalls the criminal, the blonde, and President Schnee whom he met a few days ago. _Seriously, how am I not lying dead in the middle of a random ditch?_ "If this is the upcoming trend, I need you to warn me. Or hide me in a place as unassailable as possible."

The man takes a drink before replying. "From this point forward, I am legally your guardian. I will do my utmost to ensure yours survival." Glynda taps Ozpin's shoulder. "I must to prepare for the ceremony now. If you need anything else, talk to me after initiation." The screen goes black.

 _Ughhh. I initially wanted to come to school because it was the easiest way to follow Master's path, while still figuring out what I want. But now I'm just worried. Did I make the wrong choice?_

Jaune looks around him as he finishes his thought. Everyone had left the airship, and he takes the clue to do the same.

Stepping out, he takes a scan of the school.

 _Last time I came here, I couldn't get a good look since it was dark._ The school is extremely large, having to both house the students and faculty while having space for lessons. Beacon Tower stands out the most, being the tallest building around. True to its name, light emanates from the top; he feels the structure towering over him, like an adult man to an ant.

Jaune follows the large road, aptly named Main Avenue, taking in the greenery around him. The trees are all a vibrant green, with unblemished trunks wrapping around the ground near itself. _It reminds me of the cabin. I could get used to how much greenery is around. Mental note: Find a good place to relax to read a book and/or play games._

As he approaches the column rings that surround a large building, he could see a familiar red silhouette on the ground.

Preparing for a repeat of their first meeting, he covers his mouth. Luckily, neither memories nor gastric juices come up. A sigh of relief escapes him as he considers his next action.

 _I should go greet her, since I have met her before. She could be my first friend! Oh, maybe these last few days weren't too bad after all._

As he gets closer, he could see a crater around the girl. Using that as a way to lighten the mood, he offers her his hand. "So what's with you and explosions, Crater Face? Should I expect a daily explosion with you?"

The girl gives a muted laugh before taking his hand. "Jaune, right? I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk to you or thank you after the Torchwick thing, Ozpin wouldn't let me do either and he didn't give me your contact information and are you okay now you didn't seem hurt and I didn't even know you were coming to Beacon..."

"Ruby, slow down, I'm fine," the blonde interrupts her before her speeding bullet speech overwhelms him. "I'm actually more worried about you. Aren't you a bit young to be attending Beacon?"

"I did skip two years of school," the girl answers while fiddling with her hands. "But I don't want you to treat me differently! I'm just a normal girl with normal knees."

"Normal knees?" He raises an eyebrow. _I have never heard of that expression before. Maybe it has something to do with how baby's kneecap are weak, and she's comparing herself to that?_ Jaune tilts his head, question marks all over his face.

He decides to ignore that part and changes the topic. "So do you know where we're going? I wasn't exactly paying attention on the ship."

"Nope," the girl replies, popping the 'p.' "I originally hoped my sister would help me, but she ran off with her other friends..." Her crestfallen face looks down at the ground, kicking a small rock away. She plays with the hem of her skirt, fixing the nonexistent wrinkle.

 _Do all girls have that look?_ He recalls Miltia's pout. _More notes to self: Learn to be resistant of girls' sad looks._ Jaune takes a quick glance at her again. _No matter how useless it may appear._

"Well, that's okay!" the boy shouts, pointing towards himself. "You're here with your friend too!" _She skipped two years, so she probably doesn't know anyone. I can be her first friend._

Ruby looks at him, silver eyes sparkling and showing his reflection. "Really?"

"Really." _Those...eyes...How can anyone resist!?_ Jaune scratches his cheek in an attempt to remove the red on his face. "So you don't know, huh? It's times like these, I use Master's handy-dandy rules. Rule Number Four: When you're lost, charge straight ahead! The world's obstacles and forces will push you to where you need to go!"

Ruby takes a moment to pause and tilts her head toward him. "Doesn't that get you more lost instead?"

Jaune takes a second to consider the last time he used that rule. "You're probably right, but it makes for a great story."

Ruby gives him a smile, and they both follow the road. A gentle silence fills the air between them.

 _Oh crap, I never had to lead the conversation. Melanie and Miltia made it so easy to talk to, and in games the girls always take the lead... Gotta think of a topic, a topic..._

Before he could speak up, Ruby transforms her weapon to scythe mode. A loud clunk sound follows when the scythe embeds into the ground. "So...I got this thing."

Jaune recognizes the weapon from before, but it is impressive now that he has to chance to closely look at it. _It's a scythe and gun combination. I think she used the rifle's recoil to push herself up to the roof._ "A scythe, huh? That's really cool. I think I would decapitate myself if I tried to use it."

"It's also a customizable, high-impact, sniper rifle. I had to learn from my Uncle Qrow how to use it. So what do you have?" She points toward the sword at Jaune's side. "Did your master teach you how to use that too?"

He unsheathes the blade, revealing the short sword. "Yup. It's a short sword made from black silver. Apparently it was really hard to make, but since I wasn't there for its production, I don't know how true that is." He stops to recall all of bruises Master gave him. "Yes...in a way, she 'taught' me."

Questions marks appear over Ruby's head. "Black silver? I have never heard of a material like that...I wonder what its properties are? Can I use that on Crescent Rose's blade to make it cut better? Maybe it's lighter than the carbon fiber I used on the frame. But if it's weaker than it, it won't be..." Ruby keeps talking about her weapon, until she realizes Jaune have not said a single word.

"Ummm...sorry for talking so much." She looks down at the ground. "I designed Crescent Rose myself, and I really like weapon design and I always think about ways to improve them, but..." Ruby realizes Jaune still did have not spoken.

 _It's cute._ "It's cute," he says. _Wait, did I say that out loud? Quickly say something else less embarrassing!_ "The way you talk really shows your love for your weapon. I think a lot of guys will love that part about you." _Wait, that was even worse!_ "And girls! I think a lot of people will like you!" He scratches his cheek again, self-conscious by his bumbling words.

"Eh heh." Ruby looks down, with her cheeks tinged with red. "Do you really think so?"

"I know so." _I really hope so. She seems like a sweet girl. Outside of the scary weapon of death. God, that was so embarrassing! Maybe I shouldn't trust my instincts on what to say anymore...I'm pulling the worst lines out from my games._

Jaune takes a look at the time. "Okay, I think we need to hurry to...wherever we go. If we look around, we can probably find someone to ask directions from."

Ruby nods. "Let's go."

Jaune recalls his rule again. _It hasn't steered me wrong yet!_ "Charge forward!"

* * *

The two runs into the main hall, short of breath.

"See...we made it! That wasn't so bad," the blonde says to his partner.

"Jaune..." she says, panting. The look she gives him was anything but one of agreement. "We ran into the girl's bathroom! I don't think you need to follow the rule that closely!"

He considers his mistake, before giving a shrug. "At least the girls inside were nice enough to give us directions."

A voice calls out to Ruby before she could retort. "Ruby, over here! I saved you a spot!"

"Oh, that's my sister." The girl in red considers introducing Jaune, but the danger of introducing her first friend being a boy was not lost on her.

"I would like to meet her. She seems like an...interesting individual." _She ditches her sister on the first day. I know there's something called independence, but..._ he takes a look at Ruby. _How does anyone abandon this adorable creature_?! Suddenly, he gets a urge to mess with her hair. _DOWN BOY,_ he reprimands himself as he slaps his hand out of the air.

The girl in red leads him to the other blond. "This is Yang, my sister. This is Jaune, my first friend at Beacon." Ruby gives a small smile at that proclamation.

Recognizing each other, they both point and exclaimed, "You again!"

"You nearly destroyed the nightclub!" Jaune accused first.

"I was stuck in handcuffs for eight hours! The police couldn't cut through it until the locksmith came!" Yang countered.

 _Oh yeah, those handcuffs were meant for Grimm...Stupid pinning practice._ "So you destroyed them? You could have just asked for the keys!"

"I didn't even know you!" The two continue to stare at each other, imaginary sparks flying between them. Both clench their fists, ready to jump at each other's throat at a moment's notice.

Yang is the first one to step back. "Wait a minute. You're going to the school? Why did you have handcuffs on you?"

 _I can't tell them I used them to capture Grimm. They'll think I'm insane!_ "It's a toy. I play games with them." Jaune deadpans.

It was both the right and wrong thing to say.

"A toy, huh?" The long hair blonde wiggles her eyebrows. "What kind of games?"

"Well, clearly Cops and Robbers," Ruby chimes in. "What other games involve handcuffs?" She gives Yang a look like she just stated cookies aren't the best food in the world.

Jaune felt as if lightning struck him when he realize what Yang insinuated. "I mean, I..." _Oh crap! I thought that excuse was perfect!_

"Of course! So, blondie, do you like to play as Cops...or Robbers?" Yang gives him a knowing smile, hinting at the meaning behind the question.

 _This is worse than Melanie and Miltia!_ The look she gives sends warning signs to Jaune's head. _I need another topic. Quickly!_

Ruby finds the scene how quickly they reconcile, she remembers the scene with Weiss and silently hopes they could get along.

As if summoned, the girl in white shows up behind Ruby. "You!" Weiss points at her.

"Oh God I was just kidding! Please don't hurt me!" Ruby jumps into Yang's arms.

"You were lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!" Weiss admonishes her.

"You were caught in an explosion?" Yang asks, mouth wide open. Her grip on her sister tightens, as if to protect from the danger just mentioned.

"Maybe Crater Face is a good nickname..." Jaune mutters underneath his breath. _Wait, I know that girl! She was at the party, singing 'Mirror Mirror.' We then fought that Giant Armored Knight together._ Remembering the contents of the song, he feels an obligation to talk to her.

"...You really want to start making things up to me?" Weiss asks her.

"I'm sorry! Absolutely!" Ruby replies with eyes straight at her, like a cat ready to pounce at any opportunity given to her.

"Read this, "Weiss hands her a pamphlet, "And don't ever speak to me again."

With that, her facial expression inverts; eyes completely downcast, she looks like someone just kicked down her sandcastle. Her arms slump next to her in resignation.

Jaune looks Ruby, completely dejected by the rejection. _Those. Eyes. Ughhh, I don't want to do this._ Unable to just stand by and watch, Jaune walks up between the two.

"Hey princess, remember me?" Weiss eyes open wide she recognizes the blonde on front of her. Taking that as a yes, he continues. "Now, I can't say I know you very well, but there are three things wrong here. One, you are judging her harshly only after one meeting with her, where the accident wasn't intentional." _At least it doesn't look like it._

Weiss tries to cut in, but the boy gives her a glare and keeps talking.

"Two, you reject her, despite being a Huntress that _must_ work together, on those very grounds, while she has repeatedly apologized. Three-" his stare softens as he considers his last point, "please remember your song."

"Yeah, you tell her!" Yang cheers him on.

"Thanks, Jaune." Ruby whispers. A small smile returns on her face as she gives him a light punch to hide her bashfulness.

Weiss steps back, mouth floundering like a fish. She frowns and raises her fist, shaking from the indignation she just suffered. Her shoulders convulse as she attempts to control her breathing. "Wha...How dare you speak to me like that?"

Jaune gives an immediate follow up. "That's because you never had anyone close enough to you to give you the truth. They always say or give you what you want because you're cute. Which brings me back to three."

Weiss could feel the fire of embarrassment and anger reach her face. As the two glare, throwing imaginary daggers at each other, Ozpin walks up to the microphone on the stage and starts his speech.

"Ahem...I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose and direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Ozpin walks away as Glynda takes his place. "You will gather at the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

With a hmpf, Weiss walks away with her aggression undiminished.

"He seemed kinda...off," Yang comments. Ruby adds, "It's almost like he wasn't even there."

 _Was Ozpin busy with something else other than initiation these last few days? I should go ask him after._

"Alright, let's head out! Where are we going again?" Jaune says.

"Yang, please don't leave me again," Ruby exclaims, remembering the disaster getting to the main hall.

"Sure, follow me." Yang answers. "So how did you two meet?" She asks, looking at Jaune with dangerous eyes.

 _What did I do this time?!_

* * *

"So, let me get this straight. The first time we met, we got in a fight, and for Ruby, you vomited on the road. And the second time, you got lost and went into the girl's bathroom? Man, you are _terrible_ at first impressions, Vomit Boy." Yang laughs at Jaune's expense.

 _Oh man, I hope that nickname does not stick._ "I would love to refute that, but-" _considering how I just made enemies out of the SDC_ , "I would be lying. Where did my cool and suave demeanor go?" The two girls both laugh at that bombshell statement. "Seriously! I thought I would know how to talk to girls, but I think every time I've talked to one, it's been an embarrassment or in a fight." He puts his head on the table. "Where did I go wrong?"

The three had went to the ballroom and organized their belongs. The supervising teachers instructed them to eat at the cafeteria before retiring for the night in the ballroom. Ruby and Yang sits across from Jaune as they finish their meal.

"Oh come on Jaune, it's not that bad. At least you have us!" Yang hugs Ruby by the neck, her other hand out in a triumphant pose. "You've made friends despite your terrible introductions!"

"I also have made an equal number of enemies!" Jaune retorts, as Ruby nod in agreement. They were both thinking of Weiss. "But I guess it is nice to have someone to talk to. If you two weren't here, I would..." _I would just be talking to my games. But I feel like that's giving Yang more material to pick on me with, so let's avoid that._ "I would just sit here. Yeah. Let's go with that."

"You were going to say something," Yang looks at him, trying to poke holes into his story. "But you kept it a secret. Oh well. No secret stays a secret from Yang Xiao Long for long!"

The two both groans as Yang makes the terrible pun. Jaune could feel a headache setting in. _She seems like the person to research my past and look through my scroll for dirt. Have to be careful around her, especially since she seems prone to trouble. I make a bold prediction! She will pull me into trouble at least once this year._

Ruby finally gets the chance to speak up. "Are you excited about initiation tomorrow? I know I am! I can finally show off my skills, and let my sweetheart do all the talking." She takes the chance to caress Crescent Rose in its compact form.

"You know what, I actually am," he answers, voice louder and gripping Daybreak tighter. "I may have learned that I am not good with girls, but I am good with a sword. Daybreak here is going to cut through all obstacles in my way!" he yells, standing up and pointing his sword upwards at an imaginary enemy.

His surrounding classmates point and look at him, murmuring about his random outburst. He sits and slumps into his seat, shrinking himself to hide from the gazes. Yang gives a sharp look to everyone staring, and they all look away, afraid of the fiery girl.

"You think you're pretty good in a fight, huh?" Yang looks him up and down, seeing the muscles that show from his tight-fitted clothes.. "You look pretty well built, but I don't know about your skill. How about we get a spar in sometime?"

Alarms go off in his head. "It'll be a friendly fight, right?" _She damaged my sword with one punch! I think I would bend over kneeing if I take one of those._ "I mean, you're not using me as a punching bag for anything, right?"

Yang cracks her knuckles with a wry smile. "Of course not. It's not like I still have a grudge over the fight. Or the handcuffs. Or you being a boy and the first friend for Rubes. Absolutely. Not."

 _Bullshit!_ He looks at her eyes that burn red. _Those eyes are set on killing me!_ Jaune gives a dry laugh. "Ha. Ha. Yeah, let's schedule this sometime in the future." _And I mean the DISTANT future, between the end of time and never._

Ruby looks at the scene, noting how it looks as if a lion is staring down at a gazelle. In an attempt to diffuse the situation, she makes a suggestion. "Let's go take a shower and turn in for the night! Tomorrow's going to be a long day, after all."

 _Thank you, Ruby_. "I am done eating. I'm going to go on ahead, I'll see you two tomorrow," he answers, running off.

"Yang, are you actually angry at him?" Ruby asks, giving her the puppy-eyes.

"Of course not. He's your first friend. But he just looks like _so_ much fun to tease," Yang answers, a sadistic look in her eye.

As Jaune heads to the showers, he looks around as his danger sense flares. Not seeing anything, he makes a silent prayer. _If there is a God there, please let me retire peacefully for tonight. I will renounce anything you want, just let me know._

* * *

Jaune returns to the ballroom to find Yang and Ruby talking to someone else. _I'm happy Ruby is trying to make a new friend. Hopefully they will make her smile more than Princess Schnee._ He glances at the new girl, before realizing she is the same one he met on the train a few days ago. The two lock eyes, and Blake's eyes narrow at him.

 _I have confirmed there is no God. If there is, then he is one sadistic person. Just peace on my first day of school, was that really too much to ask?_

He looks over at his inviting, warm, and comforting sleeping bag. _I am not getting a full night's sleep tonight, am I?_

Tucking himself in, he still has hope that he had been wrong. Wrong person, wrong luck, or wrong presumptions; anything would do.

The hope shatters like glass immediately after the lights went out. Blake walks over to Jaune and points outside, indicating she wants to talk privately.

As they walk out and turn around a hallway, Blake covers Jaune's mouth up and pushes him up against the wall. "Don't make a sound. Answer my questions truthfully and nothing will happen to you." He nods.

As Blake removes her hand, Jaune gives a quick rebuttal. "How do I answer your questions if I can't make a sound?"

Blake's look grows colder, and Jaune takes the hint. "Just trying to lighten the atmosphere. Then again, it didn't work last time, so I don't know what I expected..."

"How much do you know about me?"

"I know that your name is Blake, and you're an ex-White Fang and a cat Faunus,"

"Who have you told about this?"

"Just Ozpin and Glynda. They both seem to know about your situation, and I can't say no when my CO asks me."

"Really, no one else?" Blake looks to see signs of him lying. Shoulders relaxed and eyes unflinching, he shows no signs of deceit.

"Yes. I promise, that I have not told anyone else." Jaune looks straight into her eyes in an attempt to prove his innocence.

A few seconds later, Blake lets go of him. "Fine, I believe you. If you told anyone else, I probably won't be here in the first place." She sighs. "Everything was suppose to be easy."

"Master always said that life's not fun without a little trouble." Jaune feels her contempt fall right back on to him, the cause of her worries. "Sorry, sometimes I just say things without thinking them through. Let's get back before..."

He sees Glynda walking towards them, riding crop in hand. _Once again, the world succeeds in screwing over one Jaune Arc. Next thing you know, the school is going to be destroyed and I'm the only one to stop it._ Jaune realizes the danger of his statement. _Wait, no, don't take that as a challenge! Oh God, why did I say that!_

Glynda reaches them with her signature look. "Why are you two out here so late? I believe I specifically said to stay in the ballroom, and-" she points toward the two, "Though I understand you are teenagers, please hold your flirting _after_ initiation."

"Wha?" The two let out disbelief simultaneously. Blake tries to tell her the truth, but realizes that probably is worse than the accusation.

 _But she knows our...Oh, she's giving us a cover story! I'm guessing someone else saw us, but she was sent after us._

Jaune grabs her hand. "Let's listen to the Headmistress, _darling_. We have a long day tomorrow."

Blake's eyes twitch at the word 'darling,' but was forced to accept it. Her grip tightens on the boy, fingertips drawing his blood. "Yes, we wouldn't want anything to happen to _you_ tomorrow, would we?" A dark shadow falls over her eyes, and the smile she gives would even make demons reconsider approaching her.

The two walk back to the ballroom and separate back to their sleeping positions.

 _Great, I now have TWO girls that might want to kill me. Feel free to throw some more. God knows it can't get much worse._ Those were Jaune's last thoughts as he falls into a nostalgic dream.

* * *

"Keep your guard up, kid! Read your opponent's intentions and hide yours!" Master slams the wooden sword against Jaune's, knocking the sword out of his hand.

"I would if each of your blows didn't make my arms feel like they are going to fall off!" Jaune's arms feel like jello. "Why couldn't I get a nice master?" He goes over and picks up the sword, but even gripping it sent waves of pain rushing through his spinal cord and into his brain.

"What the hell did you say to me?" She gives three quick slashes that Jaune narrowly avoids. "Look at the kindness of your master."

"What kind of shitty kindness involves beating up a kid black and blue?!" He brings up the sword for another block, but the impact knocks the sword flying again. She follows up with smashing the sword against his stomach, and the shock makes him lose consciousness for a second.

"Alright, let's take a break to stop your bitching." Master walks over to her favorite sakura tree and takes a seat. "Besides, I can tell your mind is wandering."

"If you could read me so easily, then you can tell what I'm thinking." Jaune takes the spot next to her, lying on her lap.

She smacks his head. "HEY!" Jaune rubs his head. "I didn't even say anything!"

"Whatever you were thinking, it was rude. I gave you a lesson before you had a chance. So what's on your mind?"

Jaune groans. _I don't even know if she's going to take my problem seriously._ "You know how I only really talk to you?" She nods. "Well, between your personality and me learning how to talk from dating sims, I'm worried that people I talk to will think I'm a weirdo."

"You know, you do seem like the type of kid to leave crying women in your wake. Unfortunately, we can't do much about that now, so don't worry about it." Xenith gives one of her signature shrugs.

"You're saying it's too late, so don't worry about it? What happened to the kindness crap you were just shouting a moment ago? Take responsibility for your actions, damn it!"

She smacks him on the head again. "It's your fault for being a shitty brat, too. Seriously, you don't have an ounce of respect for me."

"Pot, meet kettle." Jaune rubs his head, feeling the bump that always appear at that spot. "If I get brain damage, you are the number one culprit. I'll sue you for child abuse!"

"Whichever idiot is dumb enough to take your case, I'll kick his ass, and then yours for the idea in the first place." She rubs his head, running circles around the bruise. Anyone looking from afar would see the false heartwarming scene of mother and son.

"Well, I think you're fine the way you are, kid. I honestly wish you were less like me, but with our environment, that was inevitable." With her hand still there, she then ruffles his hair to prevent him from seeing the red on her face. "Making me say something so sappy, give me another ten laps."

Muttering "kindness my ass," Jaune gets up and starts running anyway. However, his face is grinning, contrary to his statement.

* * *

"It's morning, it's morning," someone sings.

Jaune wakes up from his dream. He reaches his hands out in the air, trying to grasp at the memory. _I haven't dreamt about Master in a long time._ Wiping away the tears in his eye, he looks around to see whose singing woke him up. He could see a orange hair girl singing and dancing around a green hair boy. _Ugh, an active type._ Jaune checks the time. 7 _:00 am. What an ungodly hour..._

Reluctant to return to sleep, he goes to wash his face. Without anyone to talk to, he starts swimming around in his thoughts.

 _Even if I'm surrounded by people, I can't connect with any of them. I've been trying to ignore the pain by being around people, but now...Why did you die so easily? You were supposed to be unstoppable and unbreakable, what the hell were you thinking?_

Trying to distract himself, he grabs food from the cafeteria and starts eating. However, the pancakes taste like scrambled dirt, and he falls into a deeper melancholy.

"Hey, Vomit Boy. You look like you just fought in a war," Yang approaches him, slapping him on the back. She takes the seat next to him.

"I'm just worried about initiation. Apparently there was talk of teams?" Jaune answers with the first excuse in mind. He had overheard similar topics from his other classmates. _Not like I really care, though. I will just end up going on solo missions as 1019._

"Aww, Mr. Suave is having trouble with the ladies? Come on, where did all that confidence go? Though, if you end up on teams with Weiss, I really do feel for you."

"Oh, don't make him feel worse about it!" Ruby sits down across the two, and starts her meal of pancakes. "Besides, I know one person who wouldn't mind you as a teammate."

 _I can FEEL the heat and anger from Yang next to me. Don't look, don't look-_ he turns to face her, seeing those red eyes full of ire again. _damn it._

"Thanks for the assurance. But it's still worrying until I finally get my partner. Again, it seems like my luck has been terrible since I got here." _No matter who my partner is, it will never replace her. Never._ He picks up his unfinished food and stands up. "I think I'm done eating. I'll see you two at initiation." Jaune tosses his food at the nearest trash can forcibly and walks out.

"Do you think he's going to be okay?" Ruby asks in concern.

"I don't know, but I hope so. He seems like a good guy." Yang answers, but her tone lacks the usual confidence or certainty.

* * *

 _Ozpin said he had armor made for me at my locker. I said I didn't need any, but he insisted that "You are a Hunter. You cannot go around fighting Grimm in a t-shirt and jeans." Jokes on him, I'm wearing those anyway._

Jaune looks through the locker room for his number. Once he found it, he types in the usual "1019" password. The locker opens electronically, revealing a simple white breastplate with accompanying shoulder armor.

Jaune puts on and tightens the harness of the armor, noting the snug fit. _Does everyone knows my sizes or something?_ Closing the locker, he takes out Daybreak for one last inspection.

Not seeing any signs of damage, he looks around for indicators to where to go next. His eyes catch a certain white-hair heiress. Before he could turn around to avoid her wrath, she approaches him with her companion following behind.

The redhead next to Weiss wore a bronze and leather plate top, which seem to balance defense with weight. To match, she has a black miniskirt and long gloves. A circular bronze plate attaches to her belt with a spear and shield design, similar to the weapons she carries on her back.

"Hi, Jaune." Weiss gives him a slight smile and bow before continuing. "I apologize for my outburst yesterday. I believe your words have some merit, and I wish to reconcile." She extends a hand out to boy, the venom from before no longer in her voice.

Taken back, Jaune stares at the outreached hand. _If she's willing to admit her mistakes, I guess that can't make her too bad of a person._ He accepts the handshake, giving her a modest smile. "Forgiven."

"Good. Moving on to business, have you heard of the assignment of teams this year?"

"Nope. I wasn't really concerned about it." Jaune gives a slight shrug, his face unaltered from the question.

"Seeing how you fought against the Giant Armor at my father's party, I believe you could be a great addition to my team, along with Pyrrha Nikos. If space permits." Weiss adds that point, and steps aside to allow her partner to introduce herself.

"Nice to meet you, Jaune." The redhead gives him a slight wave.

"Right. Can I go now?" Jaune curtly answers, the apathy not leaving his voice. Talk of teams reminds him of the one partner he cares the most about. He tries to hide his emotions by speaking as little as possible, but Weiss takes the answer as rejection.

"Are you not interested? Do you have any idea who she is?"

"No idea. Don't care." He turns around to leave, but the bewildered Weiss grabs his shoulder, not letting him leave.

"Pyrrha here graduated at the top of her class in Sanctum." Jaune stares at the two blankly. "She's won the Mistral regional tournament four years in a row, a new record." Pyrrha looks uncomfortable by the statement, her smile lacking in confidence.

"Look, I don't..." Jaune tries to stop her, but Weiss is determined to get a response from him.

"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flake's box!" Weiss flails her arms wildly, exasperated by the lack of response from the boy.

However, this last statement finally bought him a small smile. _The box had pictures of my favorite characters too, and Master liked the sweetness of that cereal too much._ The bittersweet memory reminds him of her rules, especially rule number ten. _Enjoy every moment, huh?_

"That is pretty cool. The covers sometimes had Rei Ayanami too." The two look at him, unaware of who he just referenced. "Anyway, sorry about that. It's just talk about teammates reminds me of my old one, before she passed away." His arm clasps his elbow, as if unsure if revealing that was the correct choice.

Weiss feels a tinge of regret as he reveals his reason for his apathy. "You're not against being teammates with us, but teammates in general..."

Pyrrha walks up to Jaune, warm hand on his shoulder. She gives Jaune a gentle smile. "I don't know who your teammate was, but please understand no one is replacing her."

The words shoot themselves into his heart, and gnashes at the pain he has been feeling all morning. Surprised that Pyrrha could see through him so easily, he finally makes eye contact with her.

"Thanks." He gives her the biggest smile he can, despite the tear that appears at the corner of his eye. "I think you would make a great teammate. Weiss-" He gives her a small bow, "I'll see you around." Back facing towards them, he appears to shoulder an unshareable burden as he slowly walks off.

The lonely sight catches the redhead's interest. Though their meeting was short, she feels the need to take care of the boy as well as happiness that someone finally saw her for what she was, and not what others had assumed.

* * *

 **As always, thanks for reading. Responding to some comments:**

 **IWEYC-Thanks for your kind words as always! I always keep them in mind as I write. I really like the twin's chapter too(though there are a lot of really good stories about them, I hope I did them justice). As for teammates, I tried to showcase each of their reasons for wanting Jaune as a teammate. I added to Pyrrha's, where she could so easily see through him as another reason.**

 **Guest-He will have interactions with Neo, Emerald, and Cinder (And each of them have their own reasons for approaching him) but I'm not quite sure where I want to fit that in the timeline yet.**

 **Bob-I really do want to write a story where the teams are scrambled, but since it's my first fic, I'm having trouble just locking down their personalities and trying to give them the development they deserve. Maybe if I get another idea, I'll scramble up the teams. And, as I said, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," as the events that occur may happen, but in different motivations and angle.**

 **Whew. Thanks for the comments, and I would appreciate any more criticism or suggestions you have may!**


	7. Chapter 6: Partners Pt 2

**Mithos here with another chapter! This one was a bit difficult to write, since I wanted to get the Jaune/Pyrrha interactions down. I also wanted to modify the Deathstalker fight without making it too different from canon. As always, I hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I had fun writing it!**

* * *

"Jaune, why is your forehead bleeding?" Ruby asks the boy next to him.

The two stand beside each other on top of launch pads at Beacon Cliff, alongside their fellow first years. They have been told to wait there for further instructions from Ozpin.

"Because I was slamming my head against the locker room," Jaune whispers, trying to hide the information from the classmates near him. He notices his failure when several snickers follow after his reveal.

"And why were you doing that?" Ruby gives a look of concern. She takes out a tissue and offer to clean his wound, but he shakes his head in refusal.

"I broke down crying upon meeting another girl." His face shows no signs of joking, and his eyes look distant, as if staring at a dream long gone.

"Jaune, don't take this the wrong way," Ruby takes a pause to consider her wording, but ultimately decides to just tell the truth. "But you have a serious problem with girls."

Jaune could only nod in agreement.

Ozpin walks in front of everyone with Glynda behind him. The students all quiet down as he gives his instructions.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. Today, your abilities will be evaluated at the Emerald Forest."

Glynda steps up, tapping at the scroll in front of her. "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates, today."

A small whimper comes from Ruby. Jaune places his hand on her shoulder and gives her a small smile to reassure her.

 _I wouldn't mind if Ruby was my teammate. Hopefully that gets across._

"These teammates will be with you with the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

 _Right, so that list currently consists of everyone but Blake. I expected more protest from Ruby, but-_ He turns around to see the girl's eyes focus on him, whispering a small prayer.

 _Okay, plan changes to 'hope Ruby is on my team' to 'get Ruby on my team.'_ He takes a second prior to making a prayer of his own. _God, even if we end up not being on the same team, please at least put Yang in there. You can make my life as miserable as you want for the next few days, but I would rather confront that than the sad puppy face she will give me for the rest of the year._

"That being said," Ozpin continues, "the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

The sting of the word 'partner' still gnaws at his loss, but it no longer pulls him to a state of depression. _I have a job to do. I can't let this eat away at me forever._

"Oh please oh please oh please," Ruby repeats, the words barely understandable at the speed they were said. Jaune clasps his hands together in prayer and looks up in hopes his thoughts are read by a higher power. _Okay, as miserable as you want for a week, two tops. Seriously._

"Make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die. You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. But our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one, and return to the top of cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

No one gets the opportunity to respond as the person on the opposite end of Jaune is launched into the forest.

 _Bastard never intended to answer any questions!_ There is silence as everyone takes the hint, standing in combat positions. _I need as much information for my plan, so let's just ask anyway._ Another first year launches into the forest with a _woosh_ sound.

"So... what happens if you do all that without a partner?" _Woosh_.

"Then you will fail," Ozpin answers without any hesitation. _Woosh_.

"Okay... And there's no way to change partners?" _Woosh._

"Absolutely none." _Woosh_. _Wait, where did Yang get the aviators?_

"So despite your talk of compatibility, isn't this completely random?" _Woosh._ Ruby launches into the sky with her signature red rose trail.

Ozpin has his typical poker face on, taking a drink as if he is detached from the situation. "Good luck."

"That's bull-" The scenery quickly changes around Jaune, surrounding him in blue. _Remind myself to give Ozpin a giant middle finger for his birthday. Fully describes how much affection I have for him._

He looks to see if there were any familiar faces around him. _It looks like Ruby got flung towards the east, and seeing the yellow blast in the northern distance, Yang wasn't waiting._ Twilight Bracelet materializes on his left arm, and he could feel the familiar cold sensation around his wrist.

 _Nevermore Series: Fallen Feathers._ Black feathers grow on the side of his arms and legs, allowing him to glide and control his descent. _Going to want as much time in the air as possible. Try and make out any traces of Grimm, a possible teammate, and a well-used trail. That'll make this mission a lot easier._ Checking the bracelet, he notices that the black line covers forty percent. _Still haven't recovered completely from the Scylla fight_.

Scanning the forest, he makes note of a Beowolf pack to the east and near the cliff, and adds a mental remark to avoid those areas. He uses the rest of the time to find signs of the others, but the tall trees and large shrubberies make it impossible. By the time he could smell the earthy odor of the canopy, he still could not spot any hints towards his second objective.

Sensing a object rapidly approaching him, Jaune spins in the air to avoid it. However, he did not account for his feathers, and the impact sticks him into a nearby tree.

 _What the-?_ He examines the spear lodged into the feathers and the tree that pins them together. _I recognize this spear, it's Pyrrha's!_ Reminded of his breakdown, he could only frown. _Why would she-?_

After a few rustles from the nearby bush, the girl in question shows herself, giving a small wave.

"You know, despite popular belief, not all birds taste like chicken. You're going to need a lot of salt and spices to make me taste good." Removing the spear and landing on the ground with a _thump_ , Jaune makes an attempt to lighten the mood.

Pyrrha lets out a light giggle before replying. "Thank goodness I'm not looking for food. I'm searching for a part-" Recalling their first conversation, she fixes her wording. "A teammate. You wouldn't happen to know anyone available?"

 _How considerate. But what does it say about me that someone is considering my trauma on our second meeting..._

Trying to hide his embarrassment, Jaune keeps the gag going. "Well, do I have the offer for you! For a limited time, you can get yourself a teammate with one easy payment of an introduction." Jaune returns her spear and extends out his right hand. "Nice to team up with you, Pyrrha."

She accepts the handshake. "Likewise, Jaune."

Jaune takes out a compass from his pouch, and starts walking towards the indicated northern direction. He gestures Pyrrha to follow.

She takes a pause before walking behind him. "Do you need help with directions? I have heard that you stumbled into the girl's bathroom..."

 _How fast do rumors spread?! I only told Ruby and... Damn it, Yang._

"Buildings are hard. Forests and trees I can do. Grew up in the middle of one myself."

"Is that why you carry around a compass? Most Hunters do not include that as part of their equipment."

"Yup. I also have matches, water purification pills, MREs, and handc-" _Think before you speak, idiot!_ "hand lotion." Jaune rapidly corrects himself.

Pyrrha raises an eyebrow at the last item, but chooses not to make a comment. "You match Weiss' description of you. She said you look like the prepared type."

"Oh, thank you so much for her praise." _That explains why Weiss asked me to be her teammate_. "Speaking of her, she mentioned you are a super celebrity, right? What made you choose me as your teammate?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Pyrrha avoids eye contact, not wanting to answer the question.

"I mean, it seems like plenty of people would want to be your teammate. But you chose me when your spear pinned me against the tree. Why?"

Pyrrha could not look at him, clearly made uncomfortable by the question. Glancing around, she buys time for an excuse. "I just wanted to be with someone who would care so much for their partner. That's all."

 _She means the fact that I cried?_ "That was the flag?! Who made this terrible game?" Jaune kicks an imaginary rock, and raises his fist toward the sky. _She's not telling the full truth. Oh well, not like we won't have time in the future._

Looking at his exaggerated response, Pyrrha gives him a smile. "You are interesting, Jaune."

"Gee, thanks. That's on the list of 'things girls say to guys before they dump them,' right next to 'it's not your fault.' I knew I was bad with girls, but-" Before he could finish his statement, he tackles Pyrrha into the nearby bush. Covering her mouth, he puts a finger up to his lips to tell her to be quiet. She gives a small nod, face slightly rosy at the two's close contact.

They slowly peek their head out, seeing two Ursa Majors in the forest clearing. The bear-like creatures poke and prod the Hunter on the ground, testing to see if he still lives.

Tightening her grip on her weapon, Pyrrha gets ready to lunge toward the Ursai, but Jaune grabs her shoulder to stop her.

In a hushed voice, Jaune tries to calm her down. "We need a plan. Rushing in there will not help." Forced to accept his logic, Pyrrha controls her breathing and gestures Jaune to continue.

"The Ursa on the right has his back towards us. I'll attack first, and you follow up. When it dies, we switch focus. If it lives, it'll be injured enough to us to target it down." He puts one ear down on the ground, listening for possible Grimm movements around them, but nothing reaches him. "If too many Grimm show up at the scent of the body, I'll give the evacuation command."

"But the student..."

"We can only hope the teachers come for him later. This is still a test." Pyrrha lets out a voice of protest, but her reasoning stops her. "On three." Jaune pulls Daybreak out of its sheath and returns his compass. "One, two, three!"

The blonde charges toward the Ursa on the right. Hearing his footsteps, it turns around and brings up its arm to protect himself. However, the initiative allows him to cut at the space between the armor, and the speed of the charge assists in cutting the Ursa's arm completely off.

The damaged Ursa lets out a roar, drawing the attention of its companion. _This is where it gets difficult. If nearby Grimm weren't drawn to the body, they'll be pulled by the roar._ Before it could get a swing in, three shots hit its face in rapid succession. Falling over, it starts dissipating.

He looks over to see Pyrrha holding a transformed spear in the shape of a rifle. _Does every weapon have a gun? Maybe I should look into that._ His attention shifts to the remaining Ursa. With its guard up, Jaune could only see a few minuscule openings.

 _Alright, Ursa Majors. More heavily armored than their counterparts, their claws and punches are their major dangers. Being beefier, it can take a few attacks, but moves slower as a result_. The corners of his mouth lift up, beaming at the prospect of a fight. _I'm going to be its worst nightmare._

Dashing forward, he gets into the range of the Ursa. It takes several swipes at him, but he sidesteps every single one.

 _How predictable_.

More shots launch toward it, but its right arm comes up to guard, the bullets bouncing off the armor.

 _Now!_ Seeing the opportunity, he steps forward to make two quick cuts into its torso, and follows with a shoulder slam.

"Pyrrha, now!"

"Done!" Staggered by the push, it has no chance to respond as the spear is thrown, piercing straight through the beast. The spear wedges itself to the tree behind it.

With a roar, the Ursa falls backward and starts dissipating. "Good job," he says to her, who is already kneeing beside the boy. Jaune removes the spear, returning it to her before doing the same.

"I had hoped..." She could not finish her sentence, wishing that refusing to admit the fact would change the reality of the situation. Her face scrunches up, with eyes out of focus. Wiping the tears on the corner of her eye, she turns to look at Jaune.

"This is what the Grimm do." Jaune shrugs. Checking his pulse, he verifies the boy's death. He scans the body to see if he could identify the cause of death. When he flips the body on its back, he sees the claw marks and the large dent in the armor. _Probably got overconfident fighting one of the Majors before getting taken out by the other one._

He lifts the body over his shoulder, and goes to cut some nearby vines. Throwing the body on top of nearby suitable tree branch, he ties the body up to prevent it from falling without excessive force.

"Let's go." Taking his compass, he takes steps toward the north again.

"How... how can you be so calm? Someone just died!" Pyrrha screams at him.

"He's a Hunter. It comes with the job. Screaming and kicking will not bring him back." There is an awkward silence between them before he continues. "It's not that I'm not sad or angry, or even cursing the world for his fate. But I know that if I let all these feelings out, all it'll do is attract Grimm and add ourselves to the body count. Think about the lives you have to protect by staying alive." _Of course, I can't tell her that I'm used to corpses..._

"I'm... I'm sorry. It's just... "

"I know. It's fine." Jaune brings her close for a hug. _Why did I-?_

Pyrrha shows surprise at the gesture, but accepts the hug anyway. A minute past before they separate, faces completely red.

 _I don't know why I did that, but that felt... right._

Jaune starts speaking before their faces grow more crimson. "Hey, we have only met twice, but we both have cried in front of the other already. Maybe we're better at this teammate thing than I thought."

She gives him a light punch, but her face cracks a small smile. "Maybe we are."

* * *

Jaune and Pyrrha run deeper into the forest, as a large Grimm cuts through the forest chasing after them.

"You know, I think I just had an epiphany," Jaune informs his ally.

"What is it?" Pyrrha asks, hoping the boy has an answer to their predicament.

He did not.

"Deathstalkers are called that because they're literally death stalking us."

"You know, I have a similar revelation."

"What is it?"

"You have trouble reading the mood."

"Point taken."

The two take a glance behind them at the Deathstalker. With its bonelike plate armor running along the top of its body, the two swiftly realize their weapons would not do enough damage to it. Not wanting to take on the large pincers or dangerous stinger on their own, they unanimously vote for a retreat to find help.

"What made it follow us?" Pyrrha asks her partner, hoping he would take the situation more seriously.

"It probably got lured out by the body and the Ursa's roar. Not seeing any other prey, we were the closest to it. So here it is." _Nevermore Series: Feathershot!_ All the feathers on the side of his arm launch toward the Deathstalker's legs. However, the feathers do nothing to reduce its speed.

"We can't keep running forever!"

"We won't have to. Look!" He points toward the ruins that come into view. A few columns lay collapsed, and the ones still standing hold up a circle of stones. There appears to be chess pieces on pedestals inside the ruins. Blake and Yang stand in front of the ruins, mouths wide open at the scene of the chasing Deathstalker.

"We're playing rock, paper, scissors. Ready?"

"What? Jaune, we just went over this, this is not-"

"Rock, paper, scissors!" Jaune throws out a rock, while Pyrrha looks at him, eyes narrow at the fact he continued the game.

"Alright, you lost. You get to distract it while I get a plan together with the others."

"Jaune..." Flashing her a big smile, he runs over to the ruins while the Deathstalker continues to chase Pyrrha.

"I believe in you!" He gives her a thumbs up before reaching Yang and Blake. "Alright, Pyrrha is _screwed_ if we don't have something to break the Deathstalker's armor and kill it. Do you two have anything?"

"How about we start with why you two have a Deathstalker on your tail?!" Yang exclaims, with a vein appearing on her forehead.

"Too long to explain. I'll take that as a no, then?" The two shake their head. "Alright, so we are royally screwed." Turning around, he sees Pyrrha block the Deathstalker's right pincers with her shield while her rifle shots bounce harmlessly off its carapace. He starts running beside her, evading the left pincer as it takes a strike at him.

"Do you have a plan yet?" She asks, her face beading with sweat. Small cuts and scrapes on her arm hints at the difficulty of the fight.

"The plan is to wait for more people!" He points toward the temple. "Since there are still relics here, that means more people still have to come! And speak of the devil..." A red silhouette comes into view, falling from the sky.

"Help!" Ruby yells as she rapidly descends, threatening to hit the ground with a splat.

 _Looking at that speed, I have about fifteen seconds before she lands. Come on, is there anything..._ He notices the vines from before. _Bingo!_

"Stay here while I help her!" Dashing to the largest tree, he grabs the longest vine possible. _Nevermore Series: Fallen Feathers_. Feathers regrow from his arms to replace the ones he launched at the Deathstalker.

"Jaune, this better not be a recurring theme!" The Deathstalker ignores the boy, chasing Pyrrha down again.

"No promises!"

Swiftly climbing the tree with vine wrapped around his right hand, he times his kick off the tree with the proximity of Ruby. He catches Ruby with his left hand, holding on her by the stomach, and pulls on the vine. The tension pulls him closer to the tree, and the vine wraps around the tree and slow their fall as they descend. The feathers also contribute to slowing his descent. As he falls, he uncoils the vine from his right hand like a spool of thread, to ensure they get as many encirclements as possible.

After circling around the tree four times, the vine could no longer endure the tension and snaps. He holds Ruby close before the remaining force sends them to a rolling stop, with Jaune on top of her.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me check." Before she could protest, Jaune pulls up her sleeves, checking for any injuries. He also rotates her head left and right to see if there is any damage on her neck or face, as well as checking her pulse. To finish the overdone impromptu checkup, he puts his hand on her head, checking for a fever. Feeling that it is only slightly warmer than usual, he breathes a sign of relief.

Finally recognizing the embarrassment of the situation, Ruby pushes Jaune off with her face as red as her namesake. She fixes her sleeves and stands up, glaring at Jaune. "I'm okay! I'm not a kid, you know!"

"Thank goodness. I was really worried." Jaune gives a smile that appears to radiate sunshine. Seeing that, Ruby could not stay angry at him.

"So what happened? My horoscope did not say I would be catching girls from the sky today."

"Oh! We rode in on a Nevermore, but we couldn't get it to land, so I jumped."

"We?" Looking up, Jaune could see Weiss falling from the sky. "Use your landing strategy!"

Several black glyphs appear on Weiss' trajectory. Each one slows her down significantly, before she kicks off the last glyph and lands on the ground. "What's with the difference in treatment?!"

"When you learn to make use of your cuteness, then we'll talk," he answers.

Exasperated, Weiss walks over to Ruby. "That was a terrible idea! Who in their right mind would suddenly suggest riding a Nevermore?!"

Jaune gives Ruby a light karate chop on the head as admonishment. "Weiss is right. If you want to ride a Nevermore, you have to be prepared. Generally with a saddle to control them."

Weiss' jaw drops at the revelation. "Your insanity is unmatched."

As if the world conspires to prove her wrong, the pink hair girl and green hair boy Jaune saw this morning breaks out to the clearing riding an Ursa.

"Aww... it's broken," the pink hair girl announces, as the Ursa falls onto the ground.

The green hair boy hunches over, gasping heavily. "Nora... please... don't do that again."

"Though, you don't need a saddle if your form is that good," Jaune comments on Nora's behavior. The joke did not remove the scowl on Weiss' face.

Nora runs over to the ruins and grabs the white rook chess piece before Jaune could even finish his sentence, doing a small song and dance to celebrate her success. More veins appear on Yang's forehead, clearly infuriated at the chaos of the situation.

"I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something crazy happens again?!" Yang screams, her red aura flaring up as her eyes turn crimson.

Not wanting to challenge the blonde, everyone but Pyrrha gathers around Yang to discuss what to do next. The Nevermore that carried Weiss and Ruby circle overhead, ready to chase its escaped prey.

 _Deathstalker, check. Nevermore, check._ Pyrrha blocks another one of the Deathstalker's pincer attacks, but the impact sends her flying and landing towards the group.

The redhead looks at Jaune, clearly less than pleased. "After all this is over... We need to talk."

 _Angry teammate, check._ He looks at the Deathstalker, relentless on its chase. _Let's just get imminent death to finish this day up._

After giving Pyrrha a hand to help her up, Jaune speaks up. "So... does anyone have a plan to deal with the Deathstalker?"

Ruby runs toward the scorpion Grimm, leaving her trademark rose trail. "I got it!"

"Ruby, wait!" Both Jaune and Yang attempts to stop her, but with her speed she has already reached the Grimm. She swings her scythe, but the blade bounces harmless off the armor.

 _Damn it! That's what I was afraid of!_

The blondes run toward Ruby to try and help her. Realizing her weapon is ineffective against the Deathstalker, Ruby tries to get more distance between them. The Deathstalker does not let up, chasing after her.

The Nevermore flying above decides to contribute the fight, sending dozens of feathers at Ruby. She dodges a majority of them, but she does not account for her cloak. One of the feather pins her cloak on the ground and prevents Ruby from running.

 _NO!_

The Deathstalker approaches her, stinger ready to pierce through the girl.

 _I can't let her die! If I use Goliath Series: Reinforcement, I can make it to her in time._ Images of the pleading children from Child's Box, Ozpin's orders, and Master's face run through his head. _Can... can I risk my cover and the chance to follow Master's path for this?_ Frozen in his hesitation, he could only grit his teeth at his indecision.

Suddenly, a white blur runs past, casting an ice wall and freezing the stinger in place before it comes in contact with Ruby. Gaining a sense of security, Weiss starts admonishing Ruby for her dangerous behavior, before the two both give a face of relief.

His legs collapse underneath him. _I almost gave up a life I've been protecting, just because I was too afraid of the consequences of my powers. It turned out okay, but I failed to protect her. I could have made the same mistake as before..._

Yang reaches Ruby and gives her a big hug, smiling at the fact that her sister is safe. The scene slightly relieves his guilty conscience. _She's okay. But I have to talk to Ozpin about this. Next time, I don't think I can hold myself back._ He pushes these feelings into the back of his mind as to not distract him.

The crowing Nevermore circles overhead again, ready for another attack. Its cry redirects everyone attention, aware they were not completely safe yet.

"Ruby, let's grab our relics and get out of here!" He yells at her, returning to the ruins. Ruby nods and arrives slightly after him.

 _Let's see... looks like I get a choice of which relic I get._ Looking at what pieces remain, one immediately catches his eye. T _he rook that can only go straight. Sounds like my kind of relic_. Ruby grabs the knight piece next to him. _The unpredictable knight piece. It matches her._

"Got any ideas for where to run to?"

"While I was falling, I saw the ruins extend more northward, with a chasm. The Deathstalker won't be able to follow us on the narrow ramp, and the cliff there gives us more ways to reach the Nevermore."

"Lead the way, oh great leader." Ruby gives Jaune a series of weak jabs at his teasing.

* * *

Getting to the extended ruins and chasm, the group of eight could see the Nevermore once again preparing its assault on the group. Sending countless feathers toward them, they all dodge by taking cover or finding the space between the projectile.

"The feathers are launched four to eight feet away from each other! Read the gaps!" As Jaune says this, he jumps in between one of the gaps, dodging them by a hair's breadth.

He takes a glance behind him. The Deathstalker broke free from the ice and chases them with pincers clacking. Jaune grimaces, and looks around for any advantage he could use. Recognizing the chasm Ruby mentioned, he also could see a narrow pathway where the large Deathstalker would not be able to crawl on to.

"Get to the bridge! The Deathstalker can't move on to it!"

"Nora, distract it!" The green-hair boy commands. Nora switches the hammer on her back to a grenade launcher, firing three pink canisters at it. The shots explode on top of the white exoskeleton, staggering it. It slows it down enough for everyone to get on the bridge.

The Nevermore circles back around, ready to collide with the group. _We're pinned against a wall here. Looks like we have to turn and fight._

"Ruby, take Yang, Weiss, and Blake with you to distract the Nevermore. The four of you are more mobile. The rest of us will take care of the Deathstalker and join up with you after!"

The four mentioned run deeper into the bridge and toward the steeple. Everyone else turns to look at the Deathstalker that guards the edge of the bridge.

"Pyrrha and Nora, keep firing shots at it to keep it stunned! The two of us will flank it, trying to make an opening. Nora, your hammer is the only thing we have to break its armor. Look for your chance!" With a quick 'aye,' the four run off to their positions.

The Deathstalker swings its pincers, ready to slice the boys apart if they get too close. They jump around to dodge, occasionally rolling back to the safety of the bridge if dodging became too difficult. The shots from the girls land, but the Grimm shrugs it off without any damage.

 _We're just going to get worn out at this point. I need to..._

As if having a similar idea, the green-hair boy jumps and kicks off the incoming pincer. "Now!" He vaults himself on to the top of the Deathstalker's tail, firing from his pistol several shots into the stinger from point blank. The body part swings precariously, about to fall with the slightest bit of impact. The Grimm screeches, before swinging its tail and tossing the boy into a nearby ruin wall.

"Ren!" Nora yells in worry about her partner.

 _That was insane! But since it worked, I might as well try!_

The Deathstalker focuses its attention on Jaune, swinging its claws toward him. Copying Ren, he jumps and lands on top of it, and follows with an immediate lunge towards the pincer.

 _Nevermore Series: Steel Feathers!_ The feathers on his arm sharpen as Jaune swings his arm at the stinger, cutting it off. It lands on top of the Grimm's head, piercing through as he grabs on to the stingerless tail. The beast screams in pain, thrashing around in an attempt to get the boy off.

Nora finally sees her chance and runs towards the Deathstalker with war hammer in hand. Reading the cue, Pyrrha aims her shield up, before giving Nora a jump boost. After reaching the apex of her flight, she fires four shots that adds spin to herself, rotating and threatening to smash the Grimm.

The monster is unwilling to go down without resistance, as it tries to cut at the incoming Nora.

 _Oh no you don't!_

Jaune fires several feathers at the claw's joints and kicks one of the claws, pinning and stopping the attack from connecting on to the girl. The hammer lands with a satisfying "thunk," completely breaking the armor. Seeing the stunned Deathstalker and vulnerable flesh, Jaune pushes himself off the pincer to cut into its weak point.

Having the same idea, Pyrrha runs toward the beast, changing her lance to a sword as she approaches. The two synchronize their attacks, carving into the Grimm. Running along the top of it, they create two long streak marks along its head, revealing its brain and spine underneath. Nora fires her hammer once more to propel herself, and all three land behind the monster, ready to retaliate if the wounds did not kill it.

However, the damage is unrecoverable, as the Deathstalker collapses, the disintegration already occurring. Nora has a large grin on her face, ready for a second round. "Let's do that again!"

Jaune could not help but smile as well. _That was insane, but that really was fun. Though by how unfazed Nora is, I wouldn't be surprised if she is already looking for another Deathstalker to fight._ "Sure, Nora. Let me know when you find another Deathstalker."

Nora's smile grows at suggestion. Ren walks over, panting heavily and with a conflicted look. Before he could add to the celebratory banter, the Nevermore's screech reminds them they were not safe yet.

However, looking at the Nevermore, they could see the scream is one of pain. Yang is inside its mouth, firing several blasts from her gauntlet into its gullet. Seeing the approaching wall, she jumps off before the Nevermore collides into the cliff, temporarily losing its ability to fly.

Not losing the chance, Weiss lunges toward it with sword in hand. Stabbing into its tail, a line of ice form, binding it before it could escape. She retreats to where Blake has made a mock slingshot, activating a glyph onto it. Ruby places herself on where the slingshot's ammo would be. The glyph turns red as the slingshot fires, launching her blazing towards the Nevermore's head. Roses and ammo casings follow behind her as the scythe wraps around the beast's neck, pushing it up against the wall. Glyphs line up on the side of the cliff in front of Ruby, and she uses them to propel herself upward, beheading the Nevermore after she reaches the top of the cliff.

Jaune whistles. "And I thought our battle was crazy."

* * *

The eight of them stand beside the stage, waiting for their names to be called. They could hear Ozpin announcing the teams, and everyone waits in anticipation of their names.

"Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this forward, you will work together as Team Cardinal." Their pictures appear on the on-stage screen, with their initials "CRDL" under their names. "Lead by Cardin Winchester."

Glynda gestures Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora on to the stage. The four walk forward as Ozpin starts speaking their names.

"Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Juniper." Their faces appear on screen, with their initials "JNPR" under their names. Nora gives Ren a hug with the confirmation of their team. _What a cute couple._ "Lead by Jaune Arc."

Pyrrha turns around and gives Jaune a smile. However, he could not share the sentiment. _I saw this coming since I took control in the forest, but Ozpin should know I'm used to following orders, not leading._

The redhead gives Jaune a light punch as he could only fake his smile towards her and the rest of his team. _Can I shoulder the responsibility of their lives? Can I live up to their hopes placed on me?_

The four walk off the stage as the last team is announced.

"Black Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as... Team Ruby." Their portraits appear on screen, with the initials "RWBY" underneath. "Lead by Ruby Rose." Yang hugs Ruby, proud that she became team leader.

 _Whew. I'm glad that Ruby is on the same team as Yang, but placing the team responsibility on the youngest girl... Ozpin, what are you thinking?_

"Looks like things are shaping up to be an...interesting year."

 _Ozpin, if you placed us as leaders just to make it interesting, I'm going to do a lot more than write an angry letter._

* * *

 **And that's the chapter! I also realized that I can reply to reviews directly, so I'll be doing that unless there is something I want to address to everyone reading. Thanks again for reading the chapter, and I hope it was a fun read!**


	8. Chapter 7: Leadership

**Mithos here. Sorry this chapter took so long to come out, I just had a lot of trouble writing it (ended rewriting a lot of it). At least it's finally out and I finished it! I enjoyed writing the Weiss scene quite a lot, as always, tell me what you guys think.**

 **Special thanks to Hakumein, Ordon, masterofbones for being beta readers. As always, your opinions/comments helped me a lot in writing this.**

 **Without further ado, enjoy!**

* * *

Thirteen year old Jaune wakes up screaming again from another nightmare. He clutches the only person to comfort him in the cabin, isolated from the rest of the world.

"I see their faces again, Master. They run at me, and I don't have to strength to push them away. They engulf me, and drown me in Grimm and bodies. Please, just kill me! I can't live like this! Every time I close my eyes, they come back." A soft sobbing noise fills the cabin.

His master squeezes him tighter, as if her embrace will protect him from the imaginary enemies in his mind. Her only comforts for the boy are her soft and gentle words and the physical warmth that lets him know he is not alone.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. I will protect you. I will shoulder your burdens." She wipes the tears from his eyes, and stares at him. Her silver eyes reflects an ocean of endless kindness and warms his terrified heart. "You have nothing to fear, so long as I am here."

She repeats those words while hugging him close, until he can once again fall asleep. Her only hope is the boy's dreams receive respite from his memories.

* * *

The three members of Team JNPR surround their sleeping leader. Jaune would normally be sleeping on the bed, but his team rolled him onto the floor in an attempt to wake him up. However, the blonde continues to lay there, cuddling his sword and snoring obliviously at the scene around him.

"You know, when I look at him look this, he doesn't seem like someone who killed a Deathstalker. His face is kind of... dopey looking." Nora pokes Jaune's cheeks, but this only causes him to turn around and remain sleeping.

Ren refrains from commenting, but Pyrrha looks away to prevent her face from showing her agreement.

"Let's return to the matter at hand. Rolling him off the bed didn't work. What's next on the list?" Pyrrha asks Ren.

He looks at the clipboard with the list of things they have attempted. "So far we've tried talking, shaking, shining a light, and rolling him off the bed. Nora, do you have any suggestions?"

"Hmmm..." Nora looks at Jaune's face closely. "For whatever reason, I feel like a smack on the head will do it. There's a spot on his head that looks awfully like a target." She raises her hand to try before Pyrrha stops her.

"Nora, I saw your strength yesterday. If you do that, you might send him to class with a concussion." Pyrrha sends a pleading look to Ren for help. "Do you have any less violent measures?"

Jaune turns and tosses at the word 'violent.' "I think he's having a nightmare," Ren observes, and glances at Nora with hesitation before continuing. "I believe shock will do the trick."

Nora's maniac grin appears before she pulls out a megaphone. This time, the two were too late to stop her as she screams into it. "WAKE UP SLEEPYHEAD!" The noise is loud enough to shake the entire room.

"GAH I'M UP I'M UP!" Jaune flails around before glancing around. _Did I dream about Master again?_ "Why am I on the floor? And why is Nora holding a megaphone?"

Before Nora could answer with the megaphone again, Ren snatches it out of her hand and swiftly disassembles with practiced precision. He pockets the amplifier before answering. "We tried to wake you up. We got desperate."

Jaune mumbles, "Where is my childhood friend wakeup scene," before looking at the clock. "It's only eight fifty. Why am I up this early?"

"It's already eight fifty?!" Nora yells, voice loud enough to vibrate the glass near her. "We're going to be late for the first day of classes!"

Jaune suddenly remembers everything in the last few days. _CLASSES. I HAVE CLASSES. I won't have to go through Master's Spartan training anymore!_ He recalls being forced to study for fear of her pressing the "Delete all saved data" button on his games.

He grabs his uniform and runs to the bathroom to change. After washing his face, he enters their room again to see everyone else ready to go.

 _We have five minutes to get to class. Well... desperate times call for desperate measures._

Grabbing his backpack, he looks out the window. _Third floor. There's a tree that's sturdy enough to take my weight._ "Let's go." Before anyone could remark about his behavior, he jumps out the window and grabs the nearest branch to slow his fall, before dropping again and rolling to a stop.

Ren and Pyrrha looks at him as if he suddenly hugged a Grimm. Nora, on the other hand, immediately follows after him, even taking a spin on the branch before landing with a "Whee!"

The two still in the room realize they were running out of time, before doing the same. As they land, they can see Team RWBY leaving the dormitory while giving them a look of surprise.

"We are doing that EVERY morning," Nora remarks, laughing giddily at that prospect. _I've known her for two days and I can already tell she will go along with every one of my ideas._

Everyone else's faces display their objection. Yang speaks up as if speaking for everyone. "What is _up_ with your team?" Both Ren and Pyrrha hum in agreement with their sister team at the observation.

* * *

"Pyrrha, how much more of class do we have?" Jaune complains while he plays with his pencil, rolling it left and right on top of his notebook.

Pyrrha looks at the clock. "We have only been in class for one minute. Do Grimm Studies not interest you?"

He shakes his head before slumping on the desk. "It's not that, it's the way Professor Port is talking. He's literally taking out all the fun of Grimm." He attempts to focus on the professor, but quickly becomes distracted. "I think his moustache is sentient. It moves as he talks. Maybe... it's the one talking." Jaune switches his gaze from the hypnotic moustache to glance at the rest of his team beside him.

Ren is taking efficient notes, writing down key points of the lecture. _His handwriting is really neat for a guy._ Nora has abandon the lecture completely, and starts drawing weapon designs to keep herself entertained. _Why is there a pancake button?_ Pyrrha writes down everything being said, even the tangents Port is going on. _That's... a bit much, isn't it?_

Ren attempts to ignore the degrading sanity of his leader and responses calmly. "He is giving us information about Grimm, but it is scattered throughout the story. I believe this is also a lesson in observation."

"Well, if I 'observe' anymore, I will run out of observation energy." Jaune closes his eyes. "Wake me up when something interesting actually happens."

Pyrrha admonishes him. "We fight against the creatures of Grimm. I believe it is important to listen, even if the way it is delivered is difficult to digest."

With that, Jaune reaches into his backpack to find the book relevant to their topic. _Game walkthroughs, nope. How to be Charming 101, nope. Ah, here it is!_ He pulls out a thick worn notebook with faded pages. The title reads _**Grimm**_ in delicate cursive handwriting, without a mention of an author. He hands the book to Pyrrha.

"Almost everything you need to know about Grimm is in there. It's one of the few keepsakes Master left me, so be careful with it. Even if you don't memorize it like I did, it's a good reference material. Ren, can you make copies for everyone?"

Pyrrha flips through the thick notebook before handing it to Ren. "It's quite detailed. Did your master write it?"

Ren looks through the Table of Contents. "There's forty pages on Beowolves alone, with biome variants. I don't think even academic books are this detailed."

Before Jaune could answer, Port calls him out. "Jaune Arc, is my lesson that boring to you? Perhaps you would like to answer my question: What is the most dangerous thing about Beowolves?"

He could see Ruby staring at him, silently mouthing him the answer. Weiss and Blake looks as if evaluating him. Yang just gives a mischievous smile as she expects him to not know.

 _Sorry, but if it's Grimm, I know. The bracelet won't let me forget._ "Sir, the most dangerous thing is the Beowolves' pack behavior. The pack will often coordinate their movements and attacks, even sending scouts. When the scout finds an enemy, it uses its howl alert others of his position and danger. Therefore, when facing a Beowolf, it is important to spot the rest of the group and kill it before it could alert the others." Jaune gives a smirk and his expression oozing smugness. "Is my answer adequate?"

Yang slumps her shoulders in disappointment, while Ruby gives a smile so sweet it gives him cavities. _Seriously, that girl's cuteness can be weaponized._ Weiss and Blake both appear shocked, as if they did not expect the goofy looking boy to answer so perfectly.

Professor Port raises an eyebrow at the boy's answer. Unable to find fault in Jaune's response, he reluctantly gives the boy a light warning. "Hmm. Yes, you covered the key points. However, there is still much to know about Grimm, so do not let your mind wander."

Jaune gives a quick aye before sitting back down. "Master did write that. As I said, she also made me memorize the whole thing, though without some reluctance on my end." _Can't believe she really pressed the button. I lost months of game time. I cried for weeks._

Ren continues looking through the book, eyes beaming at the information he gleans. He uses his other hand to push away Nora's face, preventing her from snatching the book and damaging it. "What's the letters A, T, R on top of each page of Grimm?"

"Oh, that's their threat level. A means you can kill them alone, T means it would take a team, preferably several, and R is run upon contact. Most of the R's are on the Legendary Grimm." _Which actually reminds me to test the skill I got from Scylla._

Pyrrha remembers the instructions Jaune gave during initiation. "I see, that's why you were aware about Nevermore's feathers and Deathstalker's armor. I'm glad our leader is so knowledgeable."

"Yeah." Jaune answers, tone lacking his usual confidence or previous certainty. Everyone gives him a strange look at the short answer from their normally talkative leader. _Their gaze is heavy. They have hope that I will be a good leader from what I've shown, but I'm unsure of it myself._

"Let's get back to the lecture. I don't want to get in trouble again." _It feels cowardly to avoid the topic, but I don't want to betray their hopes by letting them know about my insecurities._

Pyrrha opens her mouth, wanting to comfort the boy, but Jaune turns away from her, looking straight at the professor.

The rest of the lecture passes uneventfully until Professor Port finally stops his long-winded story for a question."A true Huntsmen must be honorable. A true Huntsmen must be dependable. A true Huntsmen must be strategic, well-educated, and wise. So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

"I do sir!" Weiss' arm shoots up to nominate herself.

"She seems a bit too eager," Jaune comments, hoping to clear the awkward atmosphere from before.

"Mostly likely she wants to prove herself. The Schnee name is quite famous, after all," Pyrrha answers, as if speaking from experience.

"Right..." _Glad Master's name isn't. 1091, on the other hand..._

"Well then, let's find out. Step forward, and face your opponent." Port gestures to the cage next to him, rattling with the monster growling inside.

Weiss walks to the changing room to put on her combat uniform. Meanwhile, the entire class whispers among themselves about the upcoming fight.

"What is your opinion on the fight?" Pyrrha asks.

"Hmm..." _From the Armored Knight fight, she should easily handle any singular Grimm._ "I will be surprised if she even takes damage in the fight."

Pyrrha stops writing to focus her attention on him. "You seem confident in her abilities. Though she definitely showed skill during initiation, I do not believe it warrants that much certainty."

Jaune looks the ceiling, attempting to organize his thoughts before answering her. "I've seen her fight a more than at initiation. From what I did see, her fighting style is similar to mine, focusing on speed to read and dismantle the enemy. With both her glyphs and that fighting style, it would be difficult, if not possible, for her to be defeated by a singular Grimm." _I want to talk about her weapon too, but that's the jist of it._

Pyrrha is visibly impressed by his answer. "Maybe we could discuss our fighting style as well, to improve as a team."

"Sure. I'll find time for it. Okay, the match is starting, let's see if I'm right."

Weiss walks out in her white combat dress and sword in hand, taking a standard fencing position. Port breaks the lock on the cage to reveal a Boarbatusk. _Why would you have a Boarbatusk as the fight when you spent the entire lecture talking about Beowolves?!_

The rest of Team RWBY gives their teammate a cheer, and Blake even waves a flag with their team name on it. _How did she?! It's only been a day! Also, note to make my own. It'll be so fun to wave those around when Nora smashes everything around her. Maybe we can even make a victory flag..._

The Boarbatusk charges Weiss, but she sidesteps while taking a slash at the Grimm. The blade bounces off the armor harmlessly as the creature turns around for another charge.

Ruby gives Weiss another cheer before she charges the beast. _Weiss, what are you doing?_

The Grimm wraps its tusk around her weapon before tossing it aside, and knocking her back. As she attempts to get up, the Grimm charges her, but she rolls out of the way and retrieves her weapon. _The Grimm only has one attack pattern. She shouldn't be having this much trouble._

Ruby yells out an instruction, but this only seems to agitate Weiss. "Stop telling me what to do!"

Ruby loses her usual cheer and falls silent. _Didn't this happen before initiation as well? What's her problem?_

The creature curls into a ball, and rolls toward the combatant. Weiss responds by casting two glyphs, with one in front that blocks the attack. After the collision, the Boarbatusk falls on its back. Weiss jumps into her second glyph, accelerating and piercing through the beast's underbelly. _Should have just done that at the start. She fought way better against the Armored Knight._

Port congratulates the girl's attempt. "Bravo. It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress in training." He gives instructions for homework before dismissing the class.

Weiss walks out of the room without even looking at her team. _Who put the cucumber up her a-_

"Jaune, you have a really angry expression. Is everything alright?" Pyrrha waves her hand in front of him to get his attention.

"Yeah, I'm fine. We have some time before the next class, right?" She nods. "I'm going to do something real quick, I'll catch up later."

Pyrrha gives a look of concern, but accepts his decision. Jaune walks out of the classroom and messages Ozpin on his scroll. As he hits the send button, he receives a message from Ruby. _Being a leader is hard :(_

Jaune hastily taps on his scroll for a reply. _I know. Hang in there._

He could only sigh as he thinks about their shared troubles.

 _I wish I can give her advice, but I honestly don't know myself. Hopefully Ozpin has some answers._

* * *

"What would you like to talk about, Jaune?" Ozpin gives the boy an inquisitive look, pondering what could distress the boy.

The two of them are in the teacher's lounge after Jaune requested to meet up. Ozpin sits with his freshly made coffee in front of him, facing the boy.

"Can I first get some coffee as well? I'm sure it will-"

"No." Ozpin gives him a clear look of disapproval.

"It's just one cup-"

"No. This is nonnegotiable."

 _Did he just pull his coffee closer to him?_

Pushing coffee out of his mind, Jaune conveys out his worry. "Lately, I'm been thinking a lot about Master. She was responsible for my life for the last seven years, but now that she's gone, I have to be in charge now. Put that with three additional lives and my complete lack of experience, I have my doubts about being the team leader."

Ozpin takes a sip from his drink as he considers how to give out his advice. "Did you know what the first thing Xenith said to me after she took you in?"

Jaune shakes his head.

"After a week, she told me 'This kid's unsalvageable. Let me put a bullet in his head before I put one in mine."

Jaune's jaw drops. "Wait, Master said that? She hated giving up on anything, and to push her to that extent... Was I that difficult?" _There's no way, right?_

"To a certain degree. I believe it had to do with the fact she never had to care for another life so closely before. I will tell you the same thing I told her then: Give it time. What use is school if you have nothing to learn here?"

 _He's right. I'm guessing one of Ozpin's reasons for insisting I enroll is to see the what the world is like._

Jaune could only swallow his hesitation and nod. "I'm still scared, but it is true I have only tried this a day. Was there anything that helped Master when she had trouble?"

"Experience is useful, but so is knowing when to ask for help. Even Xenith did not inherit the position without assistance. You have a team, and it seems like destiny drew you to Team RWBY. They can support you when you are doubtful. And-" Ozpin's look pierces through him, reading the boy's desires and intentions. "You wish to make friends with whom you can relate to, correct?"

Jaune looks away from Ozpin's penetrating gaze. "Yeah. I thought that it wasn't a big deal to just talk with others, but I'm slowly realizing how fun it is." He recalls his precious memories before giving a conflicted smile. "It's also nice not being smacked in the head so often."

"Youth is a precious thing. You may one day and look back on this with fondness, and that will give you the strength to continue living. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

 _Oh yeah, Ruby had the same problem._ "Could you talk to Ruby about this as well? She seems to have her own doubts about it, and she seems to have troubles with her partner Weiss."

"You seem to be particularly protective of her. I remember you gave her special attention during initiation as well."

"Yeah. She's the first friend I made here, and she reminds me-" Jaune hesitates as he recalls the memory. "-reminds me of the children from Child's Box. I know she's not a life I can save to replace theirs, but I feel better when I help her out. Is that bad?" He looks down, guilty at that thought.

"Perhaps. I can say that no action is done purely on altruism. If your assistance to others reassures you, then feel free to do so."

 _Helping out others and asking for help, huh? Master always knew what I needed and never needed help. I never had the chance to really do either of those things._

"Thanks. I feel a lot better about my school life now."

"Good. Now, there is one thing I wish to inform you about before you leave. As I said before, I would assign you on simple missions to test your abilities. One would be coming up soon. I granted you access to the teacher's training room. Use it to prepare."

 _My first mission..._ Jaune palms grow sweaty from his nervousness and anticipation. _I'll finally take on her job._ "Is there anything special I should do?"

"No. You will be given additional equipment based on the mission. With that, you are dismissed."

The blonde leaves the lounge and sends a message to his team about his whereabouts. _It's my team._ Though the weight of those words did not leave, they no longer suffocate him.

* * *

"I still can't believe you can't answer a systems of equation question!" Nora's laugh reverberates through the cafeteria. "Didn't you answer that Grimm question perfectly?"

Jaune groans in frustration, playing with his dinner to hide his embarrassment. "I can't help it! Master always said, 'If you have time to do math, you have time to kill Grimm,' and kicked me out to hunt. How screwed am I, Ren?"

"You are behind three years worth of school academics. It will take you awhile to catch up," Ren answers, with his eyes glued to the _**Grimm**_ book. "My condolences."

Jaune covers his face and groans in despair. "So I'm going to spend the rest of the year just catching up? What about my leisure time? I've still got another forty three routes to finish!"

Pyrrha pats him on the back in an attempt to raise his spirits. "I'm sure you're making it worse than it is. Besides, you have your team here to help you out."

 _Like Ozpin said, knowing when to ask for help, huh? I suppose I can start relying on my team._

Jaune's turns toward Pyrrha with a face the epitome of relief. "Thanks. Looks like I'll be relying on you."

Pyrrha gives a smile in return. "That's what teammates are for, Jaune."

Jaune stuffs in his mouth his remaining dinner. "Unfortunately, I have something to do tonight. Ozpin's orders."

Nora yells out in response. "OZPIN? WHY WOULD OZPIN GIVE YOU AN ORDER DIRECTLY?" The two stay muted, but their face betrays their curiosity.

 _How much should I share with them? They're my team, and I'm sure stuff like this will happen quite often. So...half-truths?_

Jaune puts a finger up to his lips in a hush gesture. "Keep this a secret, but he's been my guardian ever since Master passed away. I help him with some stuff to earn my keep. He's also the reason I got enrolled in Beacon."

"Ozpin's your guardian? Doesn't that mean you can get us expelled if you don't like us? Do you have to follow his every command like a puppet? Oh God school life is RUINED." Nora slouches on to the table and starts hyperventilating.

Jaune laughs at Nora's exaggerated behavior. "It's not like that. He's a guardian in name only, so don't worry."

After answering, Jaune picks up his tray and begins to leave. However, Pyrrha pulls on his sleeve to get his attention. "Jaune, you disappeared on us quite a few times already. During initiation, you left me with the Deathstalker, and after class as well. I understand you have your reasons, but remember that we are your team. You don't have to do everything alone."

 _I didn't expect her to be so open about this. This is what it feels like to be a team, huh?_ "Thanks Pyr. I'll definitely ask for your help when I need it." Jaune walks away from the table.

Pyrrha's face glows red by the boy's sudden nickname. Nora is keen to notice this, and immediately begins teasing the redhead. "Looks like someone has a ~crush~."

"What! Of course not!" However, her face and words clash and she grows redder. "I was just surprised he used a nickname so easily. I believe nicknames are used for close friendships."

"Righttttt." Nora answers, her face not accepting that excuse. "That also explains why you were looking at his face so closely this morning. And you even _chose_ him as your partner."

"I was simply worry about the wellbeing of my partner after a fierce battle. Please do not misunderstand." Pyrrha continues to deny her accusations, but Nora has already stopped listening.

"Okay, _Pyr_ , whatever you say." Nora returns to her dinner with a mischievous look on her face.

Ren continues eating his dinner quietly, hoping that whatever Nora does, he would not get blamed for it. Meanwhile, the oblivious one walks toward the teacher's training room, unaware of Nora's incoming shenanigans.

* * *

Jaune unlocks the room on his door to see everyone else has already fallen asleep. _Well, that's to be expected, it's already twelve. Wait, is Ren sleeping with the Grimm book I gave him? Guess he really liked it._

Jaune walks over to his suitcase to find his Semblance Notebook. Taking out the only notebook with a lock, he inputs the password and flips to an empty page to catalogue his results.

 _Legendary Series: Reinforcement creates a black nylon-like material on part of the body. Its cost is twenty percent corruption, which is the secondest highest cost of my skills. The material absorbs kinetic impact extremely well, taking up to 150 GPa before it starts breaking apart. However, in exchange for its strength, it causes a headache from continuous usage. Perhaps the Legendary Series exchanges high cost and power for a potential side effect. More research is needed._

He closes his notebook and locks it. _I should probably make a copy to send to Ozpin._ After putting it into his backpack, he jumps onto his bed to finally rest for the day.

 _My first day of school. It's different from what I imagined, but it's fun in its own way._ He closes his eyes, smiling at the casual conversations with his team. The joy along with the anticipation of the upcoming missions keeps him awake.

 _Been awhile since I've had trouble falling asleep. Might as well take a walk and look at the moon again._

When he picks up his scroll, he could see another message from Ruby. _Thanks :)_

Jaune takes a moment to think about what the thanks was for. _Ozpin, you told her I asked you to talk to her. Well, it's not too bad, but I had hope he would be discrete about it._ He fires a short reply. _Np._

Putting the scroll in his pocket, he walks toward the door. Opening it, he could see Weiss leaving her room while whistling a happy tune.

 _That's right, Team RWBY's room is opposite ours. You can't tell me this is a coincidence, Ozpin._

"Well, somebody's in a good mood." Jaune says in a playful manner. "Got over what happened in class?"

Weiss stops humming and turns around fast enough to leave afterimages. "Jaune, what are you doing here?"

"Uhh, this is my room? I'm leaving to take a walk since I can't sleep. What about you?"

"I was about to do the same."

"Oh, then let's go together! I have something I want to show you." Before Weiss could object, he grabs her hand and starts leading her away from the room. After they start walking up the staircase, he turns around to see her whispering something about 'holding hands.'

Opening the door to the roof with a creak, he lets go of her hand. Tilting his head up, the shattered moon enters his vision and fills him with a calm that only this scenery could.

Skipping over to the edge of the roof, he sits down and lies down to see the entire night sky open up to him. He could see Weiss still standing next to the door, hesitating to come in.

"What are you doing? The scenery is great from where I'm at. Come enjoy it with me."

"Are you sure we're allowed to be up here?" Weiss looks around for any observers. "I doubt the teachers would condone such a dangerous behavior, especially past our curfew."

"Man, you are a stickler for rules. Don't worry, if anyone catches us, just tell them I forced you into it. It's technically the truth." He gestures a spot next to him for her to sit.

She walks over and takes a seat slightly away from him. _Ouch. It hurts to just be rejected like that. But I guess we aren't all that close._

"How did you know the rooftop was open?" Weiss asks, curious about how the boy found this view.

"I didn't. When I came back from initiation, I just thought this place would be a great place to look at the night sky. If I brought you here and the door was locked, I probably would have broken it just to not embarrass myself."

"That's reckless. You shouldn't do that."

"Mmm, it's not the first time I've been reckless in front of you. As least I won't make a fool of myself."

Unable to find continue that conversation, the two sit in silence as they look at the sky. Finally, Jaune brought up what he wanted to discuss.

"So did you and Ruby make up?"

Weiss turns to face him with a bewildered expression. "Was it that obvious?"

"Absolutely. Considering how you acted towards her at initiation and today in class, your humming gave it away. Cute song, by the way. Very princess-like."

 _Ruby sending the message also helped._

Weiss' eyes look down as a frown appear on her face. "Why do you call me that? You called me princess the first time we met, at initiation, and now as well. I would prefer if you just called me Weiss."

Jaune turns to her with the most deadpan expression he can give. "Weiss, we met in a castle, where you sang about how lonely you were, surrounded by what equates to royalty, while you fought a knight. If 'princess' isn't an acceptable nickname, I don't know what is." _But...I guess that isn't the real reason, huh?_

Before she could object to the nickname, Jaune continues. "But I guess the real reason is because it was just embarrassing to call out your name. Your song captivated me. Your fight with the knight awed me. The way your song opened up your heart enamored me. So I call you princess because it's embarrassing to call you Weiss, since it sounds like we're closer friends than we are. It's like when you're in elementary school, and you tease the girl you like because you don't know how to interact with them." _Well, I don't know how much of that is true, but that's how it was in the dating sims._

As he finishes spouting his last words, panic set in. _A conversation is a two-way street and I have just been talking for the last minute!_ He slowly turns around, ready to see an angry Weiss. Instead, her face is completely red, poking her fingers together, and eyes darting from the ground to his face quickly.

 _Uhhh… I was expecting to get a punch in the face for that, but I guess she's not used to brutal honesty? Noted._

After a few awkward seconds, she stands up and brushes off the dust on her skirt. She points a finger towards him. "Hmf. Well, I never got to thank you for helping me. Therefore, as thanks, I will allow you to be my friend and call me Weiss. Understood? It's not like I want to be your friend or anything!"

"We can be friends?" Jaune turns toward her with a smile bright enough to outshine the moon. "I'm a bit of an idiot, but I'm happy to be friends with you, Weiss."

Turning her head and throwing her ponytail back, she starts walking away to hide her equally shining smile. As she approaches the door, she hears one last comment from him.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, but that scar looks really good on you. It's reminds me of a rugged type of beauty."

Weiss turns around to see the boy sitting on the edge of the roof, shining as bright as the moon above him. With sword by his side, he looks like a knight on a castle's night watch, protecting those behind him.

"To blow away my insecurities and help me when I need it… If I'm a princess, then you're a prince." Weiss mutters.

"Hm? What was that, Weiss?"

"I said good night, Jaune. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right, see you tomorrow." He gives her a wave goodbye as she walks back into the building.

 _Man, I am so glad I didn't tell her I could see up her skirt at the end there._ He continues to gaze at the moon, unknowing the effects his words had.


	9. Chapter 8: Fall Pt 1

**Whew. It feels like forever since I last released a chapter. I wanted to write up this entire arc before I post it, since I needed to make sure I didn't miss anything. There will also be parts that hint/be relevant to the next arc, so I wanted to make sure it made sense.**

 **Special thanks to** **Hakumein and** **masterofbones for reading over and giving me their opinions. Always helpful to get a second look in case I missed something.**

 **Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Jaune opens his eyes, squinting only enough to see and slam the scroll's mute button to silence the aggravating alarm. Rolling on the bed, he closes his eyes and attempts to grab his blanket before grasping something warm.

 _Hrm. I don't remember leaving the heater on._

Begrudgingly, he opens his eyes again to see his red hair partner next to him. Rubbing his eyes, he confirms that the image in front of him is not an illusion.

 _Hrm. I'm also pretty sure I fell asleep in my own bed yesterday._

Still in a half-asleep daze, he stares into Pyrrha's face.

 _Now that I stare at her this closely, she has a really soft face._ Testing this, he pokes her face, seeing her cheeks compress with his own mental _pyon_ noise effect. She slowly pushes his hand out of the way, before turning to face the other side and muttering, "Five more minutes..."

 _Aww, that's cute._ A few blinks later, the gravity of his situation finally blows his sleepiness away. Pinching his face to ensure he is not dreaming, he rolls off the bed in a panicked mess.

 _Oh God, it's only the second day with my team, and I already screwed it up! But I'm sure I... Did I really sleep in the wrong bed? Was I that focused on Weiss calling me her friend? Well, as long as no one but me knows, no harm done, right?_

Standing up, he can only see Nora standing next to Pyrrha's bed with her scroll in hand and a wide grin on her face.

The two stand in silence, as enough sweat pours down Jaune's face to flood the room. Realizing time is not on his side, he decides to break the tension.

"What's your price?"

"Two weeks of your breakfast pancake portion, and half of whatever Ren makes for you."

Jaune extends his hand and they shake to seal the contract. As if sensing their solidarity, Pyrrha gets up from her bed, rubbing her eyes and giving a sleepy "Good morning," to the two.

"G-good morning!" Remembering how soft her cheeks were, Jaune can barely get the words out before escaping to the bathroom. _I'm still way too conscious about this!_

Pyrrha gives a puzzled expression to Nora. "I believe classes do not start for another two hours. Why is he in a hurry?"

Nora gives a shrug to feign ignorance, before proceeding to examine her scroll for the pictures of the two's sleeping faces. "I haven't got the slightest idea."

* * *

Jaune stares at his breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and hash browns longingly. He pokes around the eggs and hash browns, separating them from the pancakes. _Goodbye, pancakes. You were my beloved comrades, but you must be sacrificed for the greater cause. Eggs and hash browns, please salute your compatriots as I give the eulogy._

Weiss takes the seat across from him, watching as the blonde gawks at his food. "Jaune, are you alright? Is there something on your food?" An expression of genuine concern shows on her face after seeing how ghastly pale his face is.

"I've seen something terrible. A demon. Truly frightful. " His voice is monotone, eyes hollow with despair. Weiss expression changes to puzzled as she waits for an explanation, unable to understand the emptiness in his voice.

A minute passes as Jaune mutters out the words of praise for his pancakes. Putting them aside, he starts eating the scrambled eggs. _This is delicious. I feel somewhat better about losing the pancakes now._

"Okay, I'm all right now. Good morning, Weiss. Did you sleep well?" Jaune returns his view to Weiss with his trademark smile, mood no longer in despair.

Disorientated by his sudden change in mood, Weiss gives a slight pause before answering. "Yes, I did. The scenery you showed me last night bought me some peace of mind."

Jaune smile grows. "I'm glad you liked it. The shattered moon always calms me down as well." He glances around. "Where's the rest of your team?"

"I believe Yang is still getting prepared, while Ruby is attempting to negotiate with the cafeteria lady for more cookies." She peers over at the young girl in question, flapping her hands furiously at the cook with a displeased look. "From what I can see, she appears to be having trouble. Blake had questions to ask the faculty about. What about yours?"

"Nora wanted to wait for Ren to wake up, and it seems like Pyrrha is keeping her company until that happens. I'm happy that Nora and Pyrrha are growing to be fast friends."

"Friends…" Weiss repeats the word, pondering about its usage. "Which reminds me, I believe you had trouble in Calculus class yesterday?"

"Gah. You caught that, huh?" Jaune scratches his cheek, giving a troubled smile. "I was home-schooled before I came to Beacon, so I'm lacking in some areas. Why do we need math to be Hunters anyway..."

Weiss answers the rhetorical question. "I believe that Hunters-in-training are not exempt from mandatory education, hence Beacon still teaches the fundamentals. There will be basic instruction until the end of the second year, so unfortunately, your troubles will continue." Jaune groans in frustration. "However, I believe that as f-," Weiss stammers, not used to using the f-word. "Friends, I could assist you in that regard. I will be willing to help you, only if you ask for it nicely!" She adds in that last sentence to hide her willingness to aid him.

 _Wow, Weiss is nice to offer her help. If that's the case, it'll make classes a lot easier._ "Please help me study, Weiss." Unaccustomed to the straightforwardness and sincerity of the request, Weiss can only answer with a "Of course!" before looking away.

Yang shows up behind Jaune and slaps him on the back to get his attention. "Yo, Vomit Boy. What are you two talking about? Got a nice mood going on there." She takes the seat next to him and starts eating her tray of food.

 _Curses, that nickname stuck!_ Hiding his anguish over the name, he attempts to deflect attention to the heiress. "Weiss just offered to help me study, since I'm having trouble in the non-Grimm related classes."

Yang raises an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? Weiss-cream _offered_ to help you?" _Does she make up names for everyone?_ "She hasn't offered me anything but 'Hmfs' and not so nice words about my cleanliness. How'd you melt the ice?"

"That's because you have clothes littered everywhere! You have clothes out that you haven't even worn!" Weiss throws her hands up in exasperation.

Yang rolls her eyes at the complaint. "Not everyone is as organized as you. I saw you label pens by days of the week. And don't get me started on your shampoos."

 _They look annoyed at each other, but their tone doesn't hold any malice. They'll probably get along once they get through troubles living together._ "Weiss has been nice to me so far. I know she and Ruby had their troubles, but they appeared to have reached a resolution."

Yang leans over the table and stares into Weiss' face, with a smile that insinuates some deeper motive behind her offer. "Is that so? Weiss, I could use some help with my _homework_ too." Yang says, wiggling her eyebrows out of Jaune's vision.

Weiss swings her head sideways, throwing her hair back, before giving an answer. "Of course! It is only natural that I will help anyone who asks for me."

Seeing the tight-lipped Weiss unwilling to give her any more teasing material, she sits back down and binds her new blonde target by the neck. "You excited for combat class today? I finally get a chance to settle our brawl from way back. Won't catch me by surprise this time." She also lightly punches him in the arm, grinning in anticipation for a chance to fight the boy.

 _What is with her strength?! I can't get out of this chokehold and that punch hurts like hell!_

"Can't...breathe..." Jaune reaches out his hands and opens mouth wide gasping for air. Yang lets him go, allowing him to take in deep breaths. "I do enjoy a good fight, but I feel like ours will be less like a fight and more of a massacre. Our fighting styles clash. I want to face someone with I have more affinity with, like Weiss and Pyrrha, whom I actually can match."

Weiss turns toward him at the mention of her name. "You want to fight Pyrrha? You do realize combat class has a great deal of people watching. Your defeat will be seen by everyone."

 _She already assumes I'm going to lose?_ "I know that Pyrrha is supposedly some big champion, right? Then, if I lose, it's expected. If I win, then it's going to be exciting. Either way, it's going to be a fun fight." A sinister smile appears on his face as he anticipates the upcoming fight. "Ufufu... a fight with the strongest... Really gets my blood boiling."

Yang looks at the battle hungry blonde with amusement at the change in demeanor. "Well, look who's eager for a fight. I guess I'll get my turn after Pyrrha wipes the floor with you. Rubes, over here!" Yang waves to Ruby, who comes dashing over and sits next to Weiss. "How did your quest for cookies go?"

"Terrible." Ruby slumps her shoulders at the realization, with a pout on her face. "Apparently cookies are in low supply and will be rationed out. I am thinking about petitioning Ozpin to change this rule."

 _So Ruby loves cookies, huh? As much as she denies that she's not a kid, she acts like one the more I get to know her._ "Ruby, you can get my portion. I'm not a big fan of sweets anyway."

Ruby's eyes light up at the offer. "Really?" She clasps her hand in a pleading fashion, looking up in impatience of his answer.

"Yes, really." Ruby throws her hands up in glee. _MUST. RESIST. URGE. TO. PAT. HEAD. She has hit every little sister trope so far. If she ever turns tsundere, then I very well could be living in a dating sim._

"Jaune, why are you staring at my sis so closely? You haven't fallen for her, have you?" The threatening tone Yang gives only strengthens Jaune's resolve in his choice to not fight her.

 _Right, and an overprotective sister._ "No, I just thought I saw something strange on her face. I think it's pretty hard for someone to fall in love only after a few days of meeting them."

"Are you saying that Ruby's not cute enough for you to fall for? That's it, you and I are going to take up that fight before Pyrrha can!" She slams her fists together, ready for a fight.

Jaune blushes before putting his hands out in front of him, shaking his head and hands to deny this. "No, no, Ruby's plenty cute! Adorable, even. But human relationships are so complicated, and what is love anyway, plus..." Before he continues his rambling, he looks to see Yang giving him a playful smile.

"Aww, I'm just messing with you!" Yang grabs Jaune in a hold again, a mischievous smirk on her face. "You are just so fun to tease. You go red as a tomato whenever I do."

Both Weiss and Ruby giggle at the scene in front of them. The ribbing from Yang continues until the rest of Team Juniper arrive and they leave for their morning class.

* * *

 _What the hell do they put in the coffee at this school?_

Jaune is sitting alongside his team, trying to follow Doctor Oobleck's movements as he darts around the classroom, taking sips from his mug. _I swear he's leaving behind afterimages._ The loud scratching of pencil on paper fills the room as everyone attempts to write down the information their teacher is firing away at them.

 _My hands hurt. Even training doesn't hurt as much as this._ He looks next to him to see Pyrrha calmly writing the contents of the lecture, eyes moving just as fast as she writes.

 _Looks like I need Pyrrha's help with this too. At least this shouldn't be too bad. History is just about pure memorization, right?_

Finally, Oobleck takes a pause from his bullet speed talking to ask a question. "Now, which one of you young scholars can tell me what many theorists believe to be the turning point in the third year of the war?"

 _Oh thank god, I can rest my hand for a bit. It feels like the lead from the pencil bled into my hand as well, for how heavy it feels._

Weiss raises her hand, answering the question after being called on. "The battle at Fort Castle!" _Maybe I can ask Weiss for help instead. I don't know if that offer extended to this class as well. It won't hurt to ask? Also, Fort Castle? Also, whoever made that name should be called Captain Repetition of Redundancy._

Oobleck continues with a follow up question. "And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over General Lagune's forces?"

 _Well, this one is pretty obvious. Faunus have perfect night vision. Always ends up being a plot point, where the Faunus heroine saves the main character's life because she can see the assailant in the dark._

No one raises their hand to answer. Oobleck looks around for another suitable student, attention stopping at Cardin. "Yes, Cardin, I believe you have family connected to this event. What is the answer?"

 _I think Cardin's the big muscular guy whose name was called out before ours in the team assignment ceremony. I don't have much of an impression of him outside of that._

Cardin clicks his tongue, clearly displeased that in being called on to answer the question. "Yeah, I have the answer. The Faunus are animals. So that makes them easier to train than actual people and even easier to throw their useless bodies to breakthrough the fort."

The answer freezes Jaune's thoughts, unable to keep up with the derogatory answer Cardin just gave. He breaks from his trance when he hears a _crack_ next to him as Pyrrha snaps her pencil in half in anger. Looking around, he can see many of his Faunus classmates shrink into their seats, clearly disturbed by the response. Even the more disturbing is that he can see several classmates nod in agreement, some of which includes Cardin's team. Weiss appears to have a conflicted expression on her face, while Blake only twitches slightly at the words, as if she has heard them many times before. Yang looks ready to jump out and punch Cardin, as Ruby struggles to restrain her and calm her down.

 _That son of a bitch... How the hell can he claim that Faunus are any less human than we are? That... that..._

The thought brings forth a repressed memory into his mind. An elderly man wearing a pristine and clean white lab coat. With a large smile, he offers Jaune a hand. The gesture of friendliness sends a wave of nausea through him, spawning desire to slap away the hand. _I hate this person. I want to break him. I want to kill him_.

He can feel a headache creeping up on to him. Gritting his teeth in both anger and in an endeavor to lessen the pain, he tries to not let the feelings overrun him. After a few moments, both feelings pass and a sigh of relief escapes him. Getting ready to take notes again, he notices he stabbed the pencil through the table, breaking the lead and making a small hole in the wood. He turns to see Pyrrha staring at his face, clearly worried about his behavior.

"I'm fine. We'll talk about this at lunch." Jaune gives her a weak smile. He can see Nora and Ren behind her with an equally worried expression, not even remotely believing his statement. However, knowing that during class is not the best time to discuss this, they concede to talk about it later.

Struggling to control the mood of the room, Doctor Oobleck quickly refutes the boy's answer. "Absolutely wrong. Does anyone else have the correct answer, one verified by facts?"

Pyrrha speaks up. "I do. It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark."

Blake raises her hand, and with Oobleck's nod, she adds on to the answer. "General Lagune was inexperienced and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the General was captured. Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure."

The malice in her last statement does not go unnoticed by Cardin, who stands up wishing to answer with violence. Oobleck catches this and instructs him to sit back down. "You can see me after class for additional readings, Cardin. Perhaps the facts will clear your judgment. Moving on!"

The sour mood in the classroom does not dissipate even as Oobleck finishes his lecture.

* * *

Team Juniper and Team Ruby sit together for lunch, the events of the lecture clearly still fresh in their mind. Everyone looks down at their food, as the glum atmosphere from before still persisting. _I want to lift everyone's spirits, but I'm still pretty angry right now. I might just make things worse._ He can feel his heart rate rise just thinking about Cardin's behavior in class.

Nora attempts to lighten the mood by telling her dream story of battling Grimm while Ren corrects her, but the details were flying over Jaune's head. Even as she finishes the story, only a few responses of acknowledgement from the others were given. Nora sits down with a tinge of sadness at her failed attempt.

Yang, no longer able to endure the heavy atmosphere, speaks up. "So what the hell was that? I've never seen a bigger bigot than him before. Does anyone want to join me when I sock him in the face?" Everyone's expression worsens at the mention of the bully.

Blake puts her book down and gives her full attention to the question. "Violence won't solve anything. Even if his fear of you stops his insults, that'll only go on as far as the threat continues. If you look away, he'll only return to his previous behavior. Attitude is the problem here." Blake puts her hand on her partner's shoulder, giving her a gentle smile. "But I appreciate your desire to help."

Yang lets out a heavy sigh. "So what? We just let him insult and degrade half the population?" The question hangs in the air as no one has an answer for her.

The person in question comes in with his team, attracting everyone's attention as they roar out in laughter, oblivious of the two's conversation. Jaune can see many of the Faunus that attended the lecture stiffen up as he enters.

Cardin's attention locks onto a Faunus with bunny ears sitting alone. He walks over with a malicious smile on his face. "Hey, bunny. You true to your animal roots and screws anything that moves?" The girl grimaces and stands up to get away, but Cardin's teammates surround her and block her exit. Jaune could feel his teeth grind together trying to contain his anger.

Yang's grip on her fork tightens. Gritting her teeth, she tries to contain the rage in her voice. "That's Velvet. I heard she got held back since the last history professor was an awful racist. Because her Faunus trait is so prominent, I'm sure she gets the worst of it." She starts getting up before Blake and Ruby both grab her shoulder to stop her.

Ruby starts speaking first. "Yang, if you walk over there and try to help her, it's only going to make it worse. The bullies only makes their lives worse if you try to actively protect them." _I can tell a bit of sadness from her, like she's speaking from experience._

Blake gives a nod to her leader, pulling Yang back to her seat as she stands up. "I'll inform Miss Goodwitch. I doubt Cardin's stupid enough to try anything if she's here." Blake walks away, looking at her scroll for the Headmistress' contact info.

Looking over, Jaune sees the abuse is escalating. Switching to physical abuse, Cardin grabs Velvet's ears. A yell of pain escapes from her lips as he pulls, and Jaune notices the skin stretch in agony as he pulls even harder. Cardin's final statement causes Jaune's emotions to explode and push past the tipping point. "Maybe you should curse your Faunus parents for giving birth to you. God knows I do."

Jaune stands up. Everyone gives a worried expression to the blonde, but he only gives them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I won't do anything rash." Ruby tells him to not do anything at all, but the blonde no longer listens to anything around him.

Walking over to the rabbit Faunus, he pushes aside Cardin's team and gives a weak kick to the bully's chest to push him away. He stands in front of Velvet, body blocking her from his vision and protecting her from the antagonizer.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Cardin recovers from the attack, putting his arms up in preparation for a fight. The rest of his team stand behind him, taking similar aggressive positions.

"Oh, I didn't see you there. I was just pushing aside a few pieces of trash. Though, from the looks of it, they still haven't been cleaned up." Jaune gives him a composed smile, hands slack on his sides and stance completely relaxed, provoking the boy to attack him.

The insult rushing the blood to his head, Cardin yells back in indignation. "You little piece of shit!" He throws a punch straight at Jaune's face, but he effortlessly pushes it aside, deflecting the attack. _How predictable._

"You punch just like what I thought you were. Garbage. Trash. Compost. Filth. Waste. A misuse of oxygen." The sneer, an unfamiliar expression, can be seen on the defender's face. Cardin throws another punch at him in attempt to silence him, but this time he blocks it and pushes him away. _Can't dodge it. Velvet's behind me. Punch is heavy. Muscles aren't for show._ "Your parents must feel disgust every time they look at your face, wondering how a human could give birth to absolute shit. Then again, even shit has its uses as fertilizer, so maybe it's better to call you a pebble. Too insignificant to care about, too inconsequential to do anything."

With that, the rest of Cardin's team surround him, ready to join the fight. They all show expressions of loathing and desire to murder him. Cardin gives Jaune a wry smile, confident in his victory. "Not so brave now, are you? I'm going to make sure your body won't even have parts left to be broken to pebbles."

Jaune only gives a shrug at the comment. "What's four pebbles to one?" The smile leaves Cardin's face as he prepares to charge him. Jaune takes a quick glance at the door before a smile returns to his face. "Now, I would like to fight you here, but I don't want to get in trouble with Miss Goodwitch. Neither would you, right?" He points toward the door, and Cardin turns around to see Blake and Glynda both looking towards their direction. Jaune takes Velvet's hand and walks pass him, whispering, "If you want to settle things, fight me in combat class today. I'll be sure to show how minuscule your existence is."

As Velvet and Jaune walks toward back to his team, he gives her a reassuring smile. "Don't feel like you owe me anything. I just can't stand people like him. And, from now on, feel free to hang out with us. I doubt Cardin wants to pick a fight when we're around."

Velvet's face flush red, giving him a small nod and whispering a quiet "Thank you." As they take their seats, he notices the shocked expressions on everyone.

Jaune gives the others a smile shining as bright as the sun. _I feel so much better now._ "Now, Nora, you said you were talking about Ursa skinned rugs? How the _heck_ does that work?"

* * *

"When your Aura drops below twenty percent and into the red,-" Glynda points toward the large monitor behind the combat stage. "That'll signal the end in a tournament style duel, and that the official may call the match. Are there any questions?" She looks over all the first year students; no one raises their hand. "Good. Now, are there any volunteers for our first spar of the year?"

"Yes please!" Jaune stands up, raising his hand high into the air. "I want to take part in a fight."

Glynda looks over at the boy, giving him a nod. "Now, with your skill level, I believe-"

Jaune interrupts the Huntress. "Actually, I have an opponent in mind. Can I fight against the leader of Team Trash?"

Glynda gives a small pause at his answer, not recognizing the team name. "I do not believe there is a Team Trash. Is there anyone else you wish to fight?"

He whacks his forehead in an exaggerated fashion, pretending as if he made a mistake. "Oh, silly me, I meant the leader of Team Cardinal." Jaune hears a roar of anger from the other side of the stands, as well as a "I accept!"

Glynda gives a small frown at the not so subtle insult. "Well, would please Jaune Arc and Cardin Winchester change into their combat gear and come to the stage."

The two run off to the changing rooms on opposite ends of the stage. Jaune could see Cardin's expression worsening, glaring daggers at him. He reacts to the glare with another shrug.

Coming back out, the boys stand on stage ten feet away from each other. Glynda clears her throat in Jaune's direction, trying to imply something wrong with him. He only tilts his head in confusion, not sure what she is referring to.

Glynda looks him up and down before telling him the problem. "Jaune, I believe I asked you to change into your combat gear. You are still wearing your school uniform."

Jaune gives her a smile. "Why would I need armor if I'm not going to get hit?" He makes sure to speak loud enough so that everyone is able to hear. _I'm going to humiliate him so much that he'll feel exactly as the Faunus he mistreats do._

This thought triggers a monotone ringing resounding in his head. He tightens the grip on Daybreak.

Glynda looks like she wants to object, but seeing his confidence, refrains. "Very well. At the sound of the buzzer, the fight will begin." She walks off the stage and a loud buzz signals the start of the fight.

Cardin takes no time to charge Jaune. Mace in hand, he swings sideways at the blonde's torso. He steps back at the charge, using this first attack to measure Cardin's effective attack range.

The aggressor does not give up the initiative, and switches to an overhead swing. With more information on the mace's reach, Jaune sidesteps the attack. _Still can't get close yet. Both attacks started after stepping with his right foot. Continue reading him._ The ringing in his head gains in volume, along with the impending pain of a headache.

"STOP DODGING!" The boy with the mace now starts swinging furiously at the blonde. Jaune continues to dodge and dance around the barrage, facial expression unchanging. _Six of seven swings started after moving his right foot. His shoulders telegraph his attack, and his eyes focus on where he's aiming. Read his breathing patterns to follow the rhythm of his attacks._ Jaune's headache grows; the strain feels as if his brain exploded and the wound festers. _He's an enemy._ With that acknowledgement, he feels as if liquid nitrogen washes away the hot hatred in his bloodstream and replaces with a cold nonchalance.

After four more swings, Cardin returns to his overhead swing again. _How predictable._ Before the mace even reaches the apex of its trajectory, Jaune steps into Cardin's range. He knees the mace user in the abdomen, reinforcing the attack with Aura. Even with armor, the attack knocks the wind out of him, freezing the downward strike.

With his opponent stunned, Jaune knocks the mace out of his hand. It rolls toward the edge of the arena, clanging along the way. Without his weapon, Cardin panics and throws a quick punch at him. Jaune drops to the floor to both elude the attack and counterattack with a sweeping kick.

The impacts knock Cardin down to his knees. He immediately tries to get back up, but Jaune pushes his shoulders down to stand up and to prevent Cardin from standing back up.

Cardin looks up at the blonde's face to see his own reflection in the dark-blue eyes. The facial expression reveals nothing: no anger, hate, or resentment. Staring into the blue eyes, he understands how Jaune regards him.

Apathy. Cardin is confused at the change in attitude after seeing how Jaune has lost his original motive, contempt. Now, Jaune only sees him as an obstacle. Whether it is Cardin or a rock is irrelevant; all that matters is it is in his way. Anxiety runs through him as he tries to break free from the grip.

A few moments pass as Cardin struggles, but the hands binding him do not loosen. Realizing the futility of the endeavor, he gives up. Jaune, in return, also relaxes his grasp, and walks toward the mace.

The entire classroom is silent. Jaune does not notice the stares his classmates give him, nor does he see how intense and distant his face appears. _Tap. Tap. Tap._ The boy's steps are the only sounds that reverberate through the arena.

Picking up the fallen weapon, he tosses it back to the boy on his knees. The mental ringing noise bears down on his thoughts, obstructing his ability to think.

 _I can still defeat him._ _ **No, eliminate.**_

Jaune walks back toward Cardin. The image of the elderly man in the white lab coat comes into his vision and overlaps with Cardin, almost as if they were the same person. _**Eliminate.**_

Flashes of light and collision pop up in his vision, before he realizes he disarmed Cardin again, pushing the boy on his knees once more.

He repeats the motions. _Tap. Tap. Tap._ Walk over. Return the weapon. Disarm. Force him to his knees. _**Eliminate.**_

Jaune loses count of how many times this scene replays. Each time the other voice speaks and he resists, the ringing intensifies and the headache worsens. _**Eliminate.**_ Each time the mace clanks as it hits the arena, the pain grows. _**Eliminate.**_ Each time he sees Cardin on his knees, the pain grows. _**Eliminate.**_

This mental anguish finally causes him surrender to the command. Static fills his vision as he he brings his sword up to strike at the kneeling boy. _**Eliminate.**_ The sword inches closer. _**Eliminate.**_ The sword comes down. _**Eliminate.**_ The sword pierces, and fills his vision with blood.

"JAUNE ARC. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Glynda yells out at him, with riding crop out. He looks at his sword glowing in a white Aura, inches away from puncturing Cardin's throat. The static and ringing clears from his head. He lets go of his weapon in horror.

"Cardin has given his intent to surrender. Any attacks after will be a violation of the symbol that a Huntsmen represents. This is a spar, Jaune. Do not bring your personal grudges into this." Glynda has a disapproving frown, looking at the boy who fought so mercilessly. "And Cardin, please improve on your attacks. You telegraph too much, as well as not taking a defensive posture when needed. I understand it is difficult to duel with a mace; perhaps some weapon improvements are in order."

Jaune looks up to the stands. All the student's faces are an expression of shock at the brutality of the fight. Looking at his team and Team Ruby, he could see a similar expression.

Unable to withstand the sight, he runs off the stage and out of the classroom.

* * *

Pyrrha has only known Jaune for a few days, but there were a few characteristics she has found out about her partner. He likes to talk and act in an exaggerated manner. He likes to speak about his master, often times with a look of reverence and melancholy. He treats everyone in a similar fashion, without regard for status or titles. But the most important thing is Jaune does very little to hide his emotions, letting those around him to easily comprehend his feelings.

This is why she is the first person to notice something wrong with his fight with Cardin. The blonde's characteristic smile gone, his eyes are vacant and there is no drive behind his movements. She recalls the fight with the Ursa and Deathstalker; both occurrences, his facial expression changed to display a myriad of emotions, even smiling at the thrill of the fight.

"This is strange." Pyrrha speaks up about her observation. "Jaune's fighting style may be calculating, but that does not mean he fights with complete apathy. This is out of character."

Yang is the first one to agree. "Yeah. Just this morning, he was talking about how exciting it would be to fight someone today. But this…" She trails off as Jaune, with a rigid expression, knocks the mace away from Cardin again.

Ruby watches the scene with uneasy as Jaune walks toward the mace, his features clear to the audience. His movements are mechanical; they appear as if someone is telling him how to behave as opposed to Jaune deciding how to act. "Shouldn't Miss Goodwitch call off the fight? Jaune is clearly the stronger one here."

Ren gives his interpretation. "Miss Goodwitch is most likely aware of Cardin's bullying tendencies. Perhaps she believes this fight will be a humbling experience for him."

Pyrrha looks at the person of interest again. He has disarmed and knocked Cardin down several times now, and each time Cardin's expression deteriorates to show his frustration. After the fifth time, he concedes and asks Glynda to end the match.

Glynda activates the buzzer, signaling the end of the fight. As she walks up to call the fight, Jaune brings his sword up and initiates a stab at Cardin's throat.

"Wha?" Everyone's expression changes to one of shock. Glynda activates her semblance, stopping the blade from piercing Cardin's throat and calling out toward Jaune. His eyes open wide as he realizes what he was about to do. Jaune glances at the friends he's made in the last few days. Their expressions cause a flood of dread through him. Dropping the sword, he runs out of the classroom.

"I have to talk to him." Pyrrha stands up in preparation to chase her partner.

Nora grabs her shoulder to stop her. "Stop. We'll hurt him if we try to help without knowing anything. Give him some time, and we'll ask Glynda about what happened." Ren nods in agreement.

"Yeah. I feel marginally bad for Cardin, but I'm more worried about Jaune right now. It's hard to explain, but it didn't feel like Jaune there." Ruby expresses her concern, and Pyrrha can see Weiss give a slight nod.

They unwillingly sit and watch the rest of the fights anxiously, waiting for class to end to have a chance to talk to Glynda.

* * *

 **And that's the chapter! I already wrote most of part two, so expect it soon (probably in the next two or three days). Hope everyone liked this chapter, especially the fight. I had to change a lot of things aorund for that.**

 **Mithos out.**


	10. Chapter 9: Fall Pt 2

**Mithos here! I had some time since I was watching EVO this weekend, so I ended up finishing this chapter earlier than expected. As always, I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Jaune looks from the corner of the hallway, taking a glance to see if his teammates are waiting outside his room. _Can't hide in the teacher's training room forever._ Not seeing anyone, he tiptoes over to the door and swipes his scroll. He opens it as gradually as possible, fearing the confrontation with his teammates. Before he can step in, he hears a voice behind him.

"Jaune? What are you doing?"

He turns around to see Ruby peering at him, carrying a bag of ingredients. He closes the door and turns to face her.

"I was just about to go to sleep. You know, gotta get up early for classes tomorrow. Ha. Ha." Jaune scratches his head as a dry laugh escapes from him.

Ruby pouts at the response. "You know that's not what I'm talking about. I mean, why were you avoiding your team today?"

Jaune looks down, not wanting to answer the question. Ruby gives a sigh before grabbing his hand and pulling him forward. "Let's go make cookies!"

* * *

"Ruby, are you sure we're supposed to put a bag of sugar per three cookies?"

"Yup. That's Ruby Style Cookies! Need enough sugar to go through the day, after all!" She flips another bag, pouring all the sugar into the mixing bowl.

"Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of sugar. So I'm going to make my own batch with less sugar, okay?" _And by that, I mean only a few cups. Seriously, how many bags of sugar is she pouring in there? How does she taste anything else?_

After they finish mixing the ingredients, the two cut the batter into cookie shapes before putting it in the preheated oven. Setting the timer and placing it on the counter, the two sit down in front of the warm oven.

"You have dough on your nose." Ruby grabs the small piece and puts it in her mouth. "Yum."

"I'm sure you're not supposed to eat these raw. I'm positive we put eggs in there." He grabs a towel to clean up his face.

"Strange, it's never hurt me before. Maybe Aura?" Ruby takes the bowl and starts eating the remaining batter.

"Probably Aura. One of the perks about being a Hunter, right?"

Ruby lets out an adorable giggle. "That and being a hero and defender of the people. Slayer of monsters and baker of cookies."

Jaune lets out a laugh of his own. _Gosh, her laughter's contagious._ "Hero, huh?"

There is a slight pause as the word runs through their minds. Ruby peers at his face, looking at him with concern and kindness. "Do you want to talk about it?"

 _Can I really talk to her about it? Will she judge me for what I did?_ Looking at the young girl's caring expressing again, he decides to reveal some of his past. "I… I used to be treated like I was inhuman." Looking down, the words spill forth as he starts speaking. "I was adopted from an orphanage, but the people who took me in weren't good people. They only thought about how to use me, and my usefulness was the only thing that mattered. So, when I fought Cardin, a lot of those emotions came rushing back. How he mistreated the Faunus reminded me of how I was mistreated." He slowly turns around to glance at Ruby's reaction, but a red blur fills his vision as she slams against his chest for a hug.

"Glynda told us the same thing. She said that that wasn't you, and those bad memories influenced you." Ruby tightens her hold, transferring her warmth to him.

"So, you're not scared or angry at me? I almost broke him, you know? I…" He looks down in fear of her answer.

"Nope." Ruby's answers clearly and without hesitation. "That wasn't you, Jaune. That was your demons. You're the first friend I met here, and I know how kind you are. And everyone has their own complicated past, you know."

"Thanks, Rubes." Before he could stop himself, he finds him rubbing her hair and patting her head. "Oh, sorry, I-"

"It's okay. Yang used to do the same thing." She gives him a smile that contains all the joy in the world. "I kinda miss it."

The two sit silently in that hold, taking comfort in each other's warmth. When the timer finally goes off, the two separate and stand back up.

As they take the cookies out, Ruby takes a quick glimpses at his face. "So do you feel better now?"

"Yeah, I do. Thanks for comforting me." _And for not treating me any differently._ A small smile escapes from his lips.

"Eh heh. Oh stop it, you asdfhgh." She waves her hand in front of her to hide her blush. She takes out Jaune's portion of the cookies and puts them in a bag. "Give them to your team as an apology for being missing. While they're still warm."

"Yeah." Jaune looks down, embarrassed by the intimate moment they shared. "Thanks again."

"Hey, that's what friends are for." Ruby gives him another hug before he leaves.

* * *

Jaune opens his door, this time no longer afraid of who lays waiting on the other side. He sees the only light source being a small lamp by Pyrrha's bed, illuminating the waiting girl's face. At the sound of the door, she turns to face him. "Jaune, I-"

"Shhh. Let's not talk here." He looks over to see Nora sleeping face down with swollen eyes, with Ren sleeping in a chair next to her.

Pyrrha nods and follows Jaune out the door. Silence fills the air around them as they walk through the empty hallways and up the stairs to the roof. Jaune opens the door and takes a deep breath of the frigid night air, taking in his favorite sight. Taking a seat at the edge of the roof, he pats the spot next to him to gesture Pyrrha to do the same.

Pyrrha sits next to him, close enough for Jaune to feel her warmth, but not enough to be in direct contact. _Ruby's warmth was endearing, but Pyrrha's warmth is… nostalgic._ Taking his attention away from the two's proximity, he starts by asking about the others. "So how are Ren and Nora doing?"

"After class, Nora ran around school trying to find you. Ren had trouble keeping up and apologizing to the people she crashed into." Pyrrha gives a bittersweet smile. "Ren had to apologize to Miss Goodwitch eight times today. When it became too dark to search anymore, she threw herself on the bed and started crying. It appears your story struck a chord with her. Ren spent the rest of the night comforting her before they both fell asleep from exhaustion."

Jaune looks down in remorse. "Pyrrha, I'm sorry, I-"

"Apologize to Ren and Nora. They are the ones who ran around, worried sick about you." She takes a slight pause, unsure of how to proceed. "It hurts. I know we've only known each other for a few days, but I really meant it when I told you to come to me for help. When you ran away after the fight, it felt like you were rejecting me as your partner. I know it's painful for you to consider someone else your partner, but I have already considered you mine."

 _I knew she was supportive, but this is more than I expected. The nostalgic warmth makes sense now. She reminds me a lot of Master._ Jaune's expression softens at that realization. "Did Glynda talk to you as well?"

"Yes. Both our teams spoke with Miss Goodwitch after class. But I would prefer to learn about my teammate personally and not through someone else." Pyrrha hints at wanting him to talk.

Jaune repeats what he told Ruby. However, after hearing about her feeling of rejection, he reveals more about his fear. "When I saw everyone's faces, I got really scared. I haven't interacted with a lot of people, and to see my new friends look at me with horror like that terrified me. But what made it even worse was the fact I scared myself by how cold I acted. I lost control, Pyrrha. And I was afraid that I would do the same to you, that I would be the one to hurt my friends. When that thought passed through me, I just couldn't find the courage to face any of you."

Pyrrha puts her hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. Jaune looks away, his fear not easily dismissed. "Jaune, Miss Goodwitch sent me a message to me today. It was about the boy we found in the forest."

His body stiffens as he remembers the Hunter-in-training, at how cold he acted after they confirmed his death. _Yeah, I was apathetic then too. How could I be so cold-blooded?_

However, Pyrrha talks about the story from a different angle. "His mother called. Though she was saddened by the loss of her son, she wanted to thank us for ensuring that his body was returned to her in full. It allowed her to see him one last time, to receive some closure about his death. I realized what you did with his body was to ensure this would happen." Pyrrha gives him a gentle smile. "Jaune, I know you're not a cold person. You take in considerations like this. I see how protective and happy you are when you look at Ruby, how embarrassed you get when Yang teases you, and how you smile and treat me just like anyone else. That's why I know for a fact that the person I saw at the arena today was not you. That's why I want you to come to us when anything happens, because you have my trust and because you're my partner."

 _She noticed all those things? She's... she's right. I laugh, cry, smile, and get anxious just like anyone else. I know what I'm like and what I want to be. I just have to fight against that side of myself I showed today, so I don't betray her trust._

Jaune lie down on his back, looking up at the shattered moon, with his smile showing no signs of his previous fear. "Pyrrha, I'm an idiot."

Pyrrha smiles after seeing Jaune's expression. "Perhaps. But you're our idiot, Jaune."

* * *

"Nora, what are you doing?" The blonde blinks in confusion, looking around from his bed. _That's two days in a row I've woken up with absolutely no idea what the hell is happening._

"Duh? I'm keep an eye on you." Nora looks down at Jaune, staring at his sleepy face.

"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm talking about the ropes." Jaune attempts to get up from his bed, but the ropes bind down every part of his body. _Seriously, if being a Hunter doesn't work out, this girl has a backup career in a more risque line of work._

"Oh. That's to make sure you don't run away until you explain yourself." Nora takes out a notepad and puts on aviators. To add on to her act, she takes out gum and start blowing bubbles.

 _Is she going for the bad cop routine?_ "I won't run away. Also, the smell from Ren's cooking is making me really hungry, so could you let me go?"

Ren walks over with a plate of pancakes, handing it to Nora with a bottle of syrup. Nora proceeds to pour the entire bottle on her pancakes and starts chowing down. "Aghs brz td nog rsgit."

Trying to dodge and leave the splash zone of pancakes and syrup with no avail, Jaune requests for help. "Ren, translate please? Or let me go. I will _gladly_ take both."

Ren gives him a shrug. "Sorry. When Nora's like this, not even I can stop her. Besides, I do admit I am rather curious as well." He takes a napkin to wipe the extra syrup all over her face. "I believe she said, 'It's best to not resist.'"

 _She's really following through with this cop act. With what I put her through, the least I can do is play along._ "Yes, yes, I'll talk." Jaune reveals his conversation with Pyrrha, apologizing profusely in between parts of the story. After he finishes, Nora puts the plate aside and leaps on him for a tight hug.

"CAN'T. BREATHE." _Is there something fun in choking me? Has Yang started a new trend?! I'm not into these kinks, dammit!_ Jaune sends another pleading look to Ren, but he returns with a smile and mouths "Get used to it" before moving back to make more pancakes.

"Oh, Jaune! You're an idiot! Even if you're a bit crazy, you're our crazy, which makes it okay!" She puts more strength into her hold, making the boy's face go blue. "Don't you ever leave us out again!"

As if the world believes Jaune requires more punishment, the door swings open to reveal Blake standing there. "Hey, Ruby was wondering if you wanted to join us for break-" Her sentence stops as she sees Nora on top of Jaune, choking him in a hug while he's bound in ropes. She clears her throat while putting up a hand to hide her reddening face. "Breakfast. But I see you're -ahem- busy right now. I'll let the rest of the team know." She slams the door and dashes back to her room.

 _I can't even argue about what just happened! I think I'm losing consciousness._

As if reading his thoughts, Ren walks over and taps Nora's shoulder. "He really can't breathe, you know. Additionally, we should allow him to eat if we don't want to be late for class."

Nora finally lets him go, allowing him to take in deep breaths. "That's right! Class!" She starts undoing his restraints.

 _Air, please never leave me again._ As he sits up, he could see Pyrrha leave the bathroom with a joking smile. "Did you approve of this?"

"I believe each of our teammates should each have their own way to show forgiveness." Pyrrha answers, dodging the question.

 _Traitor!_ The thought quickly leaves when Ren hands him the pancakes. _This looks delicious. Time to…_ He sees Nora's grin again, reminding him of their deal. Cutting the pancakes up in half, he pushes them to her plate. _Day 2. The lost of more comrades continue to ail me. I can only hope I leave from this warzone alive._

Ren gives a puzzled look, but ultimately decides not to question too much on Nora's antics. The breakfast reminds him to inform Jaune about the Goodwitch's announcement. "Jaune, Miss Goodwitch informed us that we will be going to a field trip in Forever Fall tomorrow. Normally, this would be scheduled later in the year, but it appears that the sap we're gathering tomorrow was given to a local establishment as an appeasement."

"Thanks for letting me know." _Glynda probably also did it out of consideration, so I don't have to attend another fight so soon. I'll have to thank her for that._ Jaune hastily consumes his breakfast, hoping not to be late to class again.

* * *

As the two teams walk down the hall, Jaune could see his other classmates pointing and whispering at him. _I'm guessing the fight spread some rumors. And that's probably the reason why we had breakfast in our room today: so I didn't have to deal with this in the cafeteria._ A smile appears on his face as he realizes how lucky he is to have teammates like them.

Yang glares at those who were too obvious about the gossiping, sending them scampering off. "They just talk about it without even knowing anything about you. It pisses me off."

Jaune turns to toward Yang with the happiness still on his face. "It's okay. Rumors are supposed only last a few weeks, right? Besides, I don't really care as long as everyone here treats me the same." Everyone gives a faint smile at how honest he is.

Yang grabs him in a hold while giving him a noogie. "You are so adorable with how honest you are! I wouldn't mind having a kid brother like you."

"Ha, ha." _I'm not sure I would survive that endeavor. Ruby, you have my condolences._

As they walk into Professor Port's class, he could see Cardin's team sitting by the corner, giving him the stink eye. _Looks like I'm his target now. But with friends like these, who cares about enemies?_

* * *

"Yes students, the Forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peaches asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest. And I'm here to make sure that none of you die while doing so." Glynda gives a stern look to the first year students, tone warning them of how serious this trip is.

Jaune takes a look around at the red forest. "It kind of smells like home. Does anyone know what the sap we're collecting is used for?"

Ren pulls out the _**Grimm**_ book, flipping to the page on Ursas. "The red sap attracts different types of insects. Of the Grimm, it is most effective in attracting Ursas. This explains why we bought air-tight jars, to ensure the aroma does not act as lure for the Grimm." _Ren's really liking that book. Now that he mentioned it, I remember that tidbit as a footnote on Ursa types near Vale._

Nora chimes in. "It's also delicious. We got some once as a gift, and it made the pancakes a bizillion times more delicious." She rubs her tummy in anticipation for gathering the material.

 _Okay, try and keep them away from Nora. She might just end up slurping up the entire forest._

Glynda continues her spiel. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at four o'clock. Have fun!"

"Alright, I'm good at navigating through forests!" Jaune pulls out his compass. "As long as we follow me, we _shouldn't_ get lost." _We got off the train from the south end of the forest, so deeper in would be north._ He starts walking toward that direction, both the teams following behind.

Ruby, remembering the tragedy before initiation, chimes in her skepticism. "Umm, are you sure? I mean, I'm sure Weiss probably has some…" She remembers the catastrophe at Initiation. "Blake has…" Blake shakes her head, while Weiss yells out a 'HEY!' at the what Ruby hints at. "Yang?"

"Sorry, Rubes, but it's kinda interesting seeming him take charge for once. I want to see what kind of fun disaster he ends up leading us into."

"Relax, it'll be fine." Jaune answers, trying to reassure Ruby. He walks over the nearest tree and starts sniffing it. "Hmm. Let's go slightly more eastward here." Everyone raises their eyebrows at this action. "What? You can tell approximately a tree's age from its smell. Since we're going deeper into the forest, I'm assuming the older trees are there."

"Doh…" Ruby's display of concern does not leave.

"Relax. I'm sure our leader knows exactly what he's doing." Pyrrha gives him a reassuring smile.

"Thanks, Pyr." He puts his ear to the ground to see if he can hear any footsteps near them. _There's some Grimm due east. But, what bothers me more is that there are four people's worth of vibrations following behind us. If I have to put money on it…_ Jaune recalls the hostile look Cardin and his team gave the last two days. _It'd probably be them._

After walking for fifteen minutes, Ren stops them. "There. That's the tree the sap is supposed to come from." He points toward an older looking tree, where the red-leaves' color appear to bleed into the branches, giving it a haunting look.

The two teams split up, each putting up a tap onto the trees. A few clanks ring out as Nora hands Ren a jar.

"Nora?"

"Yes, Jaune?"

"Why do you have thirty jars?"

"Isn't it obvious? There's going to be four for the assignment, and the rest for me."

 _She really might try to bleed out this forest of red sap if left alone._ "Nora, at most only fifteen jars. We need to leave some for the other teams as well. And don't drink some to bypass the rule."

"Okay~"

Seeing the two make steady progress without him, he gestures Pyrrha toward him. "Ren and Nora, stay here. Me and Pyr are going to do something. We'll meet back at Goodwitch."

Ren opens his mouth to stop him, but seeing how Jaune is going with Pyrrha, decides against it. "Stay safe, you too." Nora gives them a quick wave as the two walk away.

Pyrrha follows him in the direction they came from. "Where are we going?"

"Cardin and his team are following us. I want to make sure he isn't going to do anything dumb and dangerous when there's a chance of Grimm messing things up." He checks the trees around him, looking for any signs of others.

Pyrrha gives him a nod of acknowledgement as she follows behind him.

After walking for a few minutes, Jaune notices the extra footprints and broken branches. "Alright, Cardin, come on out. I know you've been following us."

A few minutes elapses before Cardin steps out behind one of the trees. "Good job noticing me, you _monster_." Jaune visibly flinches at that title. "So you can't face me without your girlfriend?"

Jaune scowls at that accusation. "She's my partner." Pyrrha can not stop her lips from curving upward at his declaration. "In case you get your ass handed to you by Grimm, since I won't be saving you. What do you want?"

Cardin takes out his weapon and puts on an aggressive stance. "I want a rematch. You know what names I've been called the last few days? The worst one. The good for nothing. Trash. I'm going to destroy you, and regain my pride."

Pyrrha stands between the two boys. "I would advise against that. We are in the middle of a Grimm infested forest, without our teams near. I believe-"

"Can it, smartass. Or are you afraid your boyfriend is going to lose?" Cardin sneers, looking at her with disdain.

"No. I believe the results won't change." She gives a look of confidence at Jaune and whispers, "I know you won't make the same mistake."

"Thanks Pyr." He returns the smile. "Fine, I'll take on your challenge. But let me contact the rest of my team in case something happens. I don't want to be responsible for your death." _I really hope this works…_ Taking out his scroll, he sends a message to Glynda, who immediately replies with an _Okay._

"Pyrrha, stand as a referee and watch for Grimm. Cardin, let's go." Jaune takes out Daybreak and lowers his center of gravity in a defensive posture.

Cardin repeats the beginning of their previous fight. With mace in hand, he charges forward. _How predict-_ However, instead of a swing, he attempts a jump kick.

 _What the hell?!_ The attack takes Jaune by surprise. He barely rolls out of the way, the kick centimeters from hitting his head. The strength of the kick even causes his hair to rustle.

Seeing his opponent's surprise and how close the attack was, a smirk appears on Cardin's face. Taking that as an indication to continue his attack, he swings his mace at him in varied patterns, interlacing with kicks in between.

 _Dammit, his attacks are so heavy! How the hell did I deal with them before?_ Sidestepping, parrying and blocking, Jaune avoids damage from all of Cardin's attacks.

"HA!" Cardin takes another swing that Jaune steps to his right to avoid. Jaune could feel the sweat on his face as his stamina drains from the extra movements. _In two days, he's adjusted his eyes and posture. He's still using a mace, but now I have to be so much more careful. I think it's time to use Twilight Bracelet._

"Not so confident now, are you?" Cardin's takes several swings at him before he strikes with his signature overhead swing; Jaune blocks by bringing his sword upward, his knees buckling from the power behind the attack. "NOW!"

From the corner of his eye, Jaune could see Cardin's team appear from the trees, each carrying a jar of the red sap. _TWILIGHT BRACELET! Nevermore Series: Feathershot!_ As the jars sail through the air, feathers from both his arms fire forth to break two before they could reach him.

However, the last jar remains untouched and continues on its trajectory. _I can't grow feathers out fast enough for it!_ Cardin grins after reaching the same conclusion, pushing his mace down even harder to prevent him from moving.

 _Perfect!_ Jaune twists his wrist to tilt the sword to his side, causing the mace to slide down the weapon and impale the ground with the additional force. Kicking at the leg, he breaks Cardin's posture, making him fall forward as Jaune jumps back. The jar continues its path and slams into Cardin's armor, spraying the red sap all over him. He sends a glare at his teammate that misfired.

"I didn't think you would fight fairly, but this is too much. I believe our fight is annulled by outside interference. And I would clean that up quickly before-" As if validating his prediction, a loud roar interrupts him as three nearby Ursa Majors come out from the trees, surrounding Cardin. His teammates run up to him with weapons out, ready to fight. "Well, before that happens. Good luck!"

Pyrrha takes out her weapon and shield, preparing to join the fight, but Jaune grabs her hand to stop her. "Don't. If that jar hit me, I would be in there right now. They deserve this."

"But-"

Jaune leans in close, only allowing her to hear what he says. "Trust me. They'll be okay."

Seeing Jaune's smile again, completely different from the expression of his previous fight, Pyrrha gives a nod and puts away her weapon. The two walk out of the clearing as Cardin yells out profanity from behind them.

After walking out of Cardin's vision, Jaune stops. After he hears the sounds of combat, he sneaks and circles back around with Pyrrha in tow. Looking out from the bush, he can see Cardin and his team fighting the Ursas.

Due to their size and the surround, the creatures of Grimm have an advantage over Team Cardinal. Each of their attacks are pushed aside by the monster's strength and speed, and their surround makes it impossible to dodge and maneuver around. Each of the beast's attacks inflict small amounts of damage, slowly chipping away at their Aura. Jaune could hear Cardin curse every time a swipe glances his armor or flesh.

"Jaune, we have to help them. They can't win against the Ursas." Pyrrha whispers. "They are still people, even if they aren't the most upstanding."

"Give me more time." Jaune checks his scroll again, looking at the time. "Come on, where are you?"

Ten more minutes pass as the fighting continues. Cardin and his teammates slowly lose the fight of attrition, movements growing sluggish as their stamina drops. The Ursas shows no sign of stopping, even letting out a roar in confidence of their victory.

Pyrrha takes out her weapon in preparation to help. "We can't delay anymore. Their lives are in danger." Before she could step out, a blur slams into one of the Ursas, knocking the creature down.

 _YES!_ Cardin has a look of surprise at the rabbit Faunus that arrives at the nick of time. Changing into a displeased expression, he screams at the reinforcement. "What are you doing here?!"

"Miss Goodwitch got worried and sent people out." From Velvet's hand, a hard-light copy of a sword appears. "I don't like you, but you don't deserve to die for it!"

Pyrrha eyes open wide. "That's your sword!"

"Yup, that's Daybreak. If her semblance is what I think it is, they should be fine."

Velvet has a puzzled expression as she tightens her grip on the sword. Sensing danger from the new challenger, the closest Ursa slashes at her. As the attack approaches, she sidesteps out of the way with the blade cutting off the arm in a fluid motion.

A look of surprise emerges on her face from how clean her movements were. The Ursa she knocked down gets up and charges at the Faunus. Just like before, she instinctively steps back as the Ursa attempts to slam its arms into her, barely avoiding the impact. Shifting her weight forward as the creature's arms hit to the ground, she jumps over its arms and beheads the creature. The Ursa falls down and starts disintegrating without a chance to even roar in pain.

The exhausted boys look in amazement at how easily she defeats the beast they have trouble with. Reinvigorated by the assistance and the number's advantage, the four surround the Ursa that only has one arm remaining. Velvet walks forward to face the other Ursa.

Velvet's opponent appears more cautious after her display of skill. Focusing on several quick swipes and jabs, it focuses on trying to land weak attacks without being vulnerable. She hops around each attack, dodging them with ease. However, unable to spot any openings, she does not retaliate with any attacks of her own.

After a few cycles of rolling and evading, she finally dashes forward when the Ursa prepares a criss-cross slash. Able to read and predict the creature's attacks, she slides underneath its arms and legs to elude the strike. As she skids along the ground, she brings the weapon up, cutting from beneath its body and creating a large incision in its torso. The monster screams in pain before collapsing as Velvet pushes herself off the ground.

Observing the last Ursa's fight, she could see Cardin on the ground as the three others stab at its backside. In a similar fashion, the creature screams before falling over. Her weapon disappears and she walks over, offering a hand to her bully.

Cardin displays a conflicted expression, but ultimately decides to accept her hand. As he stands up, he could see a fearless expression on her face, contrasting from the timid look from when they first met.

Jaune grabs Pyrrha's hand and start leaving after observing this scene, not wanting to disturb the moment. Once they leave the fighters' hearing range, Pyrrha begins speaking. "Did you plan all of this out?"

Jaune struggles to keep his laughter at the accusation. "Nope. It just happened that way. Well, I set up a few things and _hoped_ it worked out, but I think this ended up being the best case scenario." Pyrrha has a perplexed expression, prompting Jaune to continue. "See, I knew Cardin followed us, so I met him to see what he wanted. When I realized he wanted to fight, that's when I acted. I sent Glynda a message to ask people to look for us, but specifically Velvet towards my location." He taps at the scroll. "I originally intended for her to stop me as I pummeled him, but that plan went out the window. When the Ursas showed up, they basically took over my role as the bad guy. If they were really in trouble, then I would have jumped in to help. However, Velvet appeared to have copied my fighting style, which made that unnecessary. Hopefully, with Velvet saving Cardin, those two should at least be on neutral terms." He hums in satisfaction. "Really, everything worked out better than expected."

"That… is a terrible plan. You hoped it worked out? What if something went wrong? Then…" Pyrrha grimaces at the possibility.

"That's why I had you here, just in case anything did. You told me you trusted me, so I returned that trust. I believed that you would have taken care of anything that might went wrong."

Pyrrha can only smile at the boy's confidence in her. "You trust me?"

"Well, with how much you kept telling me to ask you for help, I figured I should eventually listen. You're not angry, are you?"

Pyrrha smile grows. "I am not, but I am beginning to realize how much of an idiot you are."

Jaune responds with a smile of his own. "Hey, but I'm your idiot, right?"

* * *

"I can't believe Glynda made me copy the rulebook." Jaune lies on the bed, clutching his shaking right hand. "Was that really necessary?"

Ren continues making pancakes without any sympathy for his leader. "Jaune, you broke four rules: leaving your team, disobeying orders, being late, and lying to civilians. At this point, I'm surprised she didn't make you suffer through remedial classes or detention."

"Hey, that last one was just unlucky! What are the chances that I meet up with the guy I gave incorrect contact info?" _That bouncer guy was so angry, I thought his face was going to swell up like a balloon._ Pyrrha hands him a cold towel to put over his hand. "Thanks."

"Considering he was the ticket collector, the chance is extremely likely." Ren flips the pancake into the nearest plate. Nora attempts to grab the plate, where he slaps her hand to stop her. "Not until everyone gets their portion."

Nora clutches her jar of red sap in anticipation. "But I can't wait! It's been four years, Ren! Fours years since I last tasted heaven! I WANT TO SEE THE LIGHT AGAIN!" Her holds on the jar tightens, the force almost creating cracks in it.

"It's been two." Ren corrects her. "And I'm sure you used the same description in our pancakes yesterday."

Nora gives a shrug before opening the jar, chugging the entire thing. A red outline appears around her lips after she finishes.

Pyrrha laughs at her teammates' antics. "I'm glad everything worked out. I heard Cardin's group encountered Grimm and barely survived before help arrived." She gives Jaune a knowing smile.

"Hopefully, this experience changes his perspective." Ren flips another pancake on another plate. "A huntsman must watch their behavior, considering the importance of the title. Nora, you can start eating."

"That reminds me, where did the two of you go? When you two returned, Pyrrha was smiling from ear to ear, and Jaune just had his typical goofy expression on." Nora grabs a plate and dumps another jar of red sap on the pancakes before she starts eating. "Rummy."

 _I didn't think of an excuse! Glynda knew what happened after Cardin explained his story, but I didn't think this through!_ "Uhh… Pyrrha and I had some private business to attend to. Alone. Mmm."

Everyone raises their eyebrow at Jaune's vague and suggestive answer. Nora inhales the rest of her pancakes before she gives a mischievous smile. "I see, 'private business,' huh? Pyrrha, I have to give you props. You're more proactive than I expected."

Pyrrha's face goes completely red at what Nora is implying. "No! We simply patrolled around to clear out Grimm! Nothing else happened." She is thankful for the diversion as someone knocks at the door. "I'll get it!"

She opens the door to reveal Cardin standing there with a pained expression. "Hey. Can I speak to Jaune please?"

Pyrrha frowns but still turns around and stands aside to face the blonde. "Jaune? He wishes to speak with you."

 _Ughhhh. Whatever this is, I can feel like it's going to be a fricking pain._ "Sure, let's head out. Please watch Nora to make sure she doesn't eat everything."

"No promises." Pyrrha and Ren speak in unison. "But I'll make more in case that happens."

"Alright. Follow me." The two walk out the room and through the hallway. Jaune turns around to see Cardin looking around, refusing to meet his eyes.

After walking up the stairs and opening the door to the roof, Jaune sits in his usual spot. _With how often I come up here, this might become less and less of a secret spot. At this point, I might as well bring chairs and cushions._

Cardin stands slightly behind him. "I'm not really good at this whole talking thing, so I'm just going to be straight with you. I'm sorry!" He bows down apologetically.

Jaune turns to face him with a confused look. "Uhhh… If I remember correctly, I'm the one who called you names, beat you up, and left you to fight against the Grimm. I feel like our roles are reversed here."

Cardin lifts his head up. "Maybe that's the case, but I realized I've been somewhat of a dick lately. I kinda deserve some of that stuff, and in the forest I almost put _you_ in the whole 'surrounded by Ursa' situation. So that's what I'm apologizing for."

Jaune stands up and looks around suspiciously. "Alright, where's the cameras? Where's your team that jumps out saying 'Punk'd' before throwing more red sap at me? A fight will ruin my mood for pancakes."

"No, I'm being serious!" Cardin yells out, before letting out a sigh. "Look, when I was fighting the Ursa with my team, I was terrified. I thought 'Is this how I'm going to die? Because I had a grudge and tried to do a petty prank on someone?' It makes all the grudges I have seem small. When Velvet saved us, I just couldn't imagine it. I said some terrible things to her and hurt her, so what reason does she have to save us?"

Jaune interrupts. "But she did. And you're telling me, what? That's enough to change your mind completely? Because I don't buy that."

Cardin shakes his head. "No. But at least it cleared my thinking. I talked to Velvet after, along with what barely passes as thanks. She just gave me a smile and said, 'That's what a Huntsman is for.' I just thought… she was a much bigger person than I am. It made me feel shameful."

"Alright, apology accepted. Just don't bother me anymore, and we're fine." Jaune does a sweeping motion, telling him to go away.

However, Cardin stays and continues speaking. "Can you hear me out for a bit longer?"

 _Dammit, my intuition was right. When the hell did I trigger this flag?_ Groaning and putting his hand up to his face, he tells him to continue.

"When I was a kid, I listened to stories from my retired Huntsman grandfather. He always had great tales about the Grimm he's beaten, how many people he's saved, and all the stories inspired me to be a Huntsman. But he was always haunted by one thing. The Battle of Fort Castle."

 _Mistakes were made! Can I load my save to say no to listening to him? Where's my skip or fast forward button?_

"Grandfather Lagune was appointed as a general of the Human forces, since he came from a family line of generals. There were only a few others that qualified at the time, which made him reluctantly take the job. He copied a lot of tactics he used to fight against the Grimm, which gave him small successes. But, he was not a general, and his defeat Battle of Fort Castle stained his name forever. Ignored are his tales of saving villages, and replaced with it the disdain of losing the war so terribly. With the loss, his disdain for the Faunus grew; they were the ones to ruin his life, to destroy his career, and to make him be such a shame. Growing up hearing his stories, I believed the same."

"When I came to Beacon, I wanted so much to prove him right. I wanted to prove that Faunus are less than people, that grandfather Lagune wasn't mistaken when he thought they were weak, and wasn't wrong to hold his grudge. But I lost sight of why I wanted to be a Huntsman in the first place: to be a savior like he was, to hear people sing praises as I defeat the forces of Grimm. When I saw Velvet looking past my offenses, for once I thought that my grandfather was wrong. So you're right, I can't change my beliefs about the Faunus overnight. But at least I'm going to try and talk and listen to her, to get my facts straight, and not ruin my Huntsman dream like _he_ did."

Silence hangs in the air as Cardin finishes his long confession. After a minute, Jaune finally lets out a sigh. "Why are you telling me this? I already said I forgave you."

Cardin looks down, the words stuck in his throat. "I want you to help me. I want you to train me!"

"No way in hell." Jaune shakes his head. "The way we fight is completely different, and basically, it just sounds like a giant pain."

"You're the only one I can ask! I saw the video of how your team beat the Deathstalker, and you beat me so easily. Outside of like...Pyrrha fricking Nikos, I don't think anyone else is a more suitable teacher." Cardin hangs his head, discouraged by the rejection. "But I understand if you don't want to."

Jaune pulls his hair in frustration. "Cardin, I still don't like you. I can respect your desire to get stronger and fix your biases, but I won't train you. Instead, if you want, I can spar with you and point out things you can improve on. That's all." He pulls out his scroll. "Now let's exchange contact info."

Cardin does as Jaune instructs. "I think that's the first time you called me by my name. You know, you're a pretty nice guy, Jaune."

"Alright, don't lie to my face. Now shoo." As Cardin walks away, a thought passes through him as he realizes what he got himself into.

 _I really hope I didn't lock myself onto Cardin's route._

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Cardin's arc isn't really all that interesting, but it gives a bit of light to the next real arc, so it was kind of mandatory. Please leave reviews so I can improve on the story and my writing!**


	11. Chapter 10: The Calm Pt 1

**New chapter! Sorry this one took much longer to write and post than all the others. I just had a brain block writing this. Anyway, we get to see the first weekend at Beacon, and how everyone takes it in stride.**

 **Thanks to** **Hakumein and** **masterofbones for helping me look through this. Without them, this literally wouldn't have been finished for another week. Writing is hard.**

 **As always, I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

* * *

"Weiss, when I said we should hang out as friends, this was not what I had imagined." Jaune looks at the textbooks and worksheets in front of him, illuminated by the afternoon sunlight. _Not the way I imagined the weekend starting. Just looking at numbers make me want to puke._

"Nonsense. The book I read explicitly stated 'friends often study and play games together.' Considering how fun and productive studying is, I decided this would be the first on our list of activities." Weiss pulls out a ruler from her bag. "Also, with how much catching up you have to do, this is hitting two birds with one stone."

"In what universe is studying fun? Besides, I'm a hundred percent sure you got that from _**How to Make Friends 101**_." _I can see the book sticking out from her bag._ "And from reading the other books in that series, I can say from experience it's completely useless." _I've followed every instruction in_ _ **How to Be Suave 101**_ _, and the first person that approached me was Cardin!_

"What! No, there is no way I took advice from a book like that. I'm a Schnee, a born n-natural at making friends." She pushes her backpack behind her chair to hide it from view, but the way her voice cracks betrays her.

"Are you really?" Jaune raises an eyebrow, clearly doubtful at her declaration.

She sighs in defeat, drooping her shoulders as her confident facade crumbles. "I may have... difficulties. Due to my status, the people that interact with me often times only do so to further their agendas. Having to scrutinize them and put up a facade, I never had the chance to let down my guard and just 'hang out.'"

Jaune pushes his fists up to his cheeks, leaning forward with elbows on the table with a grin on his face. "Aww, you want to make friends but don't know how." _Wasn't that what she was singing about?_ "That's right, you claimed to be 'the loneliest of them all.'" Jaune's voice goes out of key as he tries to sing the high note. "Being surrounded by four people, you're not that lonely anymore, _Weiss-Cream._ " He imitates the way Yang pronounced the nickname, copying even the same playful smile.

She picks up a book nearby and throws it at his head. Jaune barely dodges it before it slams into the bookcase behind him with a _thud_ , shaking the structure. The librarian sends a glare at their way. Jaune puts his hands up in an apologetic gesture before the person in charge scoffs and looks away.

"Shut up, you dolt! I told you to call me by name! Why am I even telling you this, anyway?" A pout can be seen on her face. _Oh man, I see why Yang teases me now. Her reactions are great._

"Weiss, aren't I your _friend?_ " He emphasizes the word. "Besides, I'm sure it says in your book that opening up to people is the easiest way to make friends."

Weiss grabs the book from her backpack, losing her intent to hide it. Flipping through the pages, she stops at the section he mentioned. "It is as you said. Then, Jaune, in fair exchange, reveal something about yourself!" She points a finger at him in front of his face. "Explain why you were at Father's party."

Jaune gives a shrug. "Sure. It's not all that interesting. Ozpin's my guardian, and he sent me as a representative as a... punishment." He hesitates in revealing the reason.

"Punishment." Weiss puts her hand over her mouth, struggling to keep from laughing. "I understand Father's parties could be tedious, but that's the first time I've heard of attending one as a punishment." With that, she lets out a stifled laughter. Others in the library send a scowl toward their direction.

"Hey, you said you won't laugh! And now the librarian's glaring at us again. Great."

The librarian puts a finger up to her lips with a frown on her face. He gives her a nod in acknowledgement.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. I'll stop." She attempts to put on a straight face, but a smile can still be seen. "What did you do to warrant such a punishment?"

"Uhhh… Actually, I only met Ozpin recently. The first thing he told me was 'to not get in trouble.' Next couple of hours, proceeded to get into a nightclub fight and then combat against a dangerous criminal. Crazy night." Recalling that night, Jaune ruffles his hair in frustration. _My luck that day was just terrible._

Seeing the boy's frustration, Weiss's smile only grows. "You know, Jaune, I don't mean to be rude-"

"Don't say it…"

"But you seem to be quite good at making a scene." He groans when she continues anyway. "You caused quite a commotion at the party as well. I remember how frustrated Father was by your attitude. I believe his exact words for you were 'uncultured swine.'"

"Yeah, I'm not surprised by that." _I don't even know how many social faux pas I committed that night._ "Alright, your turn. How about... how did you learn to sing like that? Your singing was wonderful." Jaune says, without hiding the amazement in the compliment.

Weiss gives a slight blush, the question reminding her of their conversation on the roof. She turns her head to avoid his gaze before answering. "As a Schnee, we must have certain skills and talents. For me, one of them just happens to be song."

"So, do you enjoy singing then?"

"What do you mean?" Weiss tilts her head in confusion.

"I mean, do you find singing fun? For me, I wouldn't be able to do something I didn't find enjoyable. Like right now, studying is a pain, but studying _and_ talking to you like this makes it a lot more bearable."

"For me, it wasn't a choice." She whispers as she looks down, the smile from before gone.

The clock ticks by as Jaune considers what to say. _Weiss probably never had anyone just be honest with her, considering what she revealed before. As her friend..._ "I can't say I can empathize. But I'm glad you took up singing. That performance was something I will never forget."

She throws another book at him, but this time he sees it coming and catches it. "Ha! You can't hide your embarrassment with-" Another hardcover book flies through the air and smacks him straight on his nose. "Ow."

"Hmf!" Despite her violent behavior, the smile returns to her face. "Fine, it's your turn. How can you be so straightforward, saying lines so embarrassing without being ashamed?"

 _This is embarrassing? My speech pattern got influenced by the games I played, so I guess those lines were embarrassing? But I don't think she's asking about that._ "Master's Rule #6: The world doesn't need two Xenith Versailles. Had that one drilled in my head when I tried to imitate her. Basically, admire qualities of people you like, but the most I can ever be is me. So to answer your question... this is just how I'm like."

"So you always act like this?"

"Yup." Jaune answers without pause.

Weiss crosses her arms and heaves out another sigh. "You have completely destroyed the image of you I had of you when we first met."

"Master's Rule #3: No plan survives first contact with the enemy. In this case, I guess it's first impressions. Better get used to changing your perspective while you're here."

"Yes, I suppose I should get used to how whimsical you are." Her tone and facial expression conflicts, her tone in clear disapproval but a small smile can be seen. "Your master, did she teach you how to fight?"

 _Master…_ Jaune leans back on his chair, staying balanced on the two back legs. With a smile, he tilts his head toward the ceiling before closing his eyes to reminisce. "She taught me more than that. She taught me how to live and how to face the world." _That's right. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her. No, more like I couldn't find the courage to live._

His tranquil expression and vague answer fuels Weiss's curiosity, prompting her to continue her questioning. "Ozpin is your guardian now, right? What happened to her?"

Jaune's smile fades as he is once again forced to face the truth. "She died, living by her own set of rules. Whimsical and heroic till the end. Woman made it damn hard not to want to imitate her." _If I could go out like her, it wouldn't be all that bad._

Following his solemn answer, a glum silence dominates as Weiss examines the boy's expression. She waves her hand in front of him, but he does not respond. A minute passes before she reaches out to him, trying to pull him back. However, she overreaches and pushes him instead, unbalancing him and causing Jaune to fall down and crash onto the cold ceramic tile.

"Weiss, I actually liked the mood we had going there. Please don't add violence to our list of friendship activities." Jaune rubs the back of his head where the impact occurred. "Ow."

With the loud crash, the librarian walks over, no longer able to ignore them. "You two, if you are not here to study, please leave. This is your final warning."

"I apologize." Weiss stands up and curtsies as she apologizes. "We will focus now." The librarian walks away, the sour expression still on her face.

Jaune fixes his chair and returns to sitting opposite of her. "I meant what I said though. Though we're both not good at this whole friendship thing, I think learning as we do is fine. What do you think?"

"Agreed. However, do not expect me to give you any leeway just because we are friends."

"Didn't expect it."

The next few hours pass as Jaune struggles with the worksheets, Weiss slapping the ruler on the problems she spots as incorrect. After going through half of them, she stops him. "We'll stop here. Attempting to learn anything more will only cause you to forget it all anyway."

"Praise all that is holy!" Jaune collapses on the table in exhaustion. "Thanks for helping me study, but this has to be said. With how strict you were, I could see you turning into Glynda 2.0."

Weiss puffs out her chest in pride. "I'm flattered. To be a Huntress as renowned and remarkable as her would be quite an achievement."

 _I was referring to how uptight Glynda is, but if she takes it as a compliment I'll let it go._ Jaune starts putting all his papers and books into his backpack. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I plan to read up on next week's material, before finishing up Oobleck's paper." She picks up the books littered on the table, sorting them in alphabetic order.

"The paper due two weeks from now?" Weiss gives a nod. _This girl is going to overwork herself. She said she didn't have a choice before, but now she has the chance to do something other than work. Time to be a bad influence._ "Oh, that reminds me. I have this game that I need a friend to play with, but I don't have anyone to ask. Oh, woe is me!" Jaune brings up his hand on his forehead like a soap opera actor pretending to be in distress. He opens one eye and glances at Weiss's reaction.

"That act is wholly unconvincing." Weiss sighs as she gives in. "I'll keep you company, but only for a short while. Okay?"

"Yay! If studying is your expertise, then games are mine. I'll make sure it's interesting!"

* * *

Yang leaves the library, not finding Weiss inside the building. _I know she and Jaune were studying today, but we were suppose to get dinner together after they finished._ As she walks back to the dorm, she wonders why Weiss gives the blonde special attention. _I also notice Blake taking glances at him, and Ruby is all smiles whenever I ask about him. He's fun to mess around with, but is that enough for our entire team to associate with him?_

 _Maybe he really does have some lady-killer charm. But if he had that, wouldn't it have influenced me already? I still see him as a doofy boy. Though, I probably am just that awesome and immune to it._

Her thoughts circle around without a conclusion as she arrives in front of her room. Yang takes out her scroll, checking but not seeing any response from either of the two she's looking for. Looking at Team Juniper's room, she can see the door open ajar. _Maybe they came back already?_

She slowly slides the door open, darkness filling her vision. "Hello? Anyone here?" Straining her ears for a response, she can hear two soft sobbing noises. When the door finally opens completely and collides the wall, she sees two faces illuminated by the scroll.

Jaune and Weiss look up, tears running down their faces. The two grabs tissues from the box next to them to wipe their faces, ruining the girl's makeup. Yang sees the trash can overflowing with used tissues.

Weiss throws the pillow at Yang, running out of the room and covering her face as she shouts. "Don't look at me!"

The tissues not enough, Jaune sniffles and wipes his face with his shirt's sleeve. "Weiss, you can't keep throwing stuff at people." He says, tears still cascading from his face.

"What... what the hell happened here?!" Yang screams, completely lost at the scene in front of her. "Jaune... what did you do?" Venom bleeds through her voice. _If he took advantage of her..._

"We were just playing a game." Before he can explain any further, she jumps on top of him, pinning him on the bed.

"What kind of sick game involves making my teammate cry?" Yang holds her fist up, threatening to smash the boy's face. "Don't you dare feed me any lies or I'll feed you my fist!"

"If you haven't noticed, I'm crying too." Lacking patience, her fists inches closer. "Okay, okay! We're playing a visual novel called Clannad. It's like reading a story with pictures and music. This one in particular is about family and close friends and is sad, and I guess Weiss just got really into it."

Yang's grip on the boy softens. "Really? That doesn't explain why you're crying though."

"Yes, really." He points toward the scroll, with an animated character and a textbox display _The only times I can cry are when I'm in the bathroom...or when I'm in Daddy's arms..._ "As for the crying... I'm just a sucker for this stuff."

Yang grabs the scroll to confirm it for herself, not fully trusting what he is saying. Before she can get off him, they hear a soft knock at the door.

"Hey, I saw Weiss run out crying out of your room, and I just wanted to make sure everything's okay." Blake takes a look at the two, blinking in disbelief at the scene.

"Damn it, Blake! Wait until you get permission to enter!" Jaune struggles to break from Yang's grasp, but her strength overpowers him.

"I believe I was justified in this case. I did see my teammate run out crying from here. And to think, I thought you were some special agent of Ozpin's, but now... Nora and Yang both falling prey... and, looking at Weiss, I'm guessing what you made her do was just too much." He can see the gears spinning in her head in all the wrong directions. "Though, I always knew you would be on bottom."

"Damn it, Yang, get off of me before Blake makes even worse conclusions!" He grabs her arms, pushing her without avail.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure." Yang finally gets off, her face still looking at the scroll. He takes the scroll from her. "Hey! I was still reading that!"

"I'll lend it to you _after_ you fix your partner's misconception!"

However, it is already too late. Blake runs out, muttering something about countermeasures for her and Ruby.

"Great." Jaune sighs with the feeling of deja vu.

"Aww, cheer up." Yang slaps him on the back. "I'm sure your reputation can't get any worse than it already is!"

Jaune groans, slumping back on the bed at the realization. "Yang, I want to learn how to improve my relations with girls. Can you help me?"

 _Actually... that's a great idea!_ Yang wraps her arm around his neck. "I have a plan. No saying no. You and I are going to paint the town red!"

Unable to resist, the girl drags him off to the Bullhead's dock.

* * *

"Are you sure she's okay? She seems a little... not okay." Jaune looks at the drunk blonde next to him, waving her drink around. The alcohol spills and almost splashes on to the other patrons, causing them to leave their seats and relocate.

Next to Jaune, Junior sits there with an amused grin. "Probably. That stuff is seventy percent alcohol, but her Aura will probably heal through it." He answers deadpan, taking a sip of his own drink.

Jaune nearly chokes on his chocolate milk, some of it even going up to his nose. "It's _what_?!"

"Don't worry, Hunters and Huntresses order the Crevice Spike all the time. Aura makes them process alcohol much faster, so they need stronger stuff to get drunk. Think of it as payback for breaking my stuff." Junior gives a wry smile. "Though, you gotta admit, this is pretty funny."

"YOU WANT SOME OF THIS?!" Yang stands up and brings her fists up, provoking a fight.

"Yang, that's a chair. Please don't pick a fight with a chair." He puts his hands on her shoulder, making her sit down again.

"Is that right? -hic-" Yang chugs down her drink. "I'll have you know, I would have won. -hic-"

"Yes, yes, you would have." He pats her back trying to comfort her. _I really hope she doesn't puke._ "So how long does this last? And is there a cure?"

"Time's the cure. Depends on how strong her Aura is, but probably a few hours. Doubt she'll even have a hangover." Junior looks over at Melanie and Miltia in the corner sulking, taking glances at their direction. "You should probably apologize to the twins when you get the chance."

Jaune stares at him blankly. "Apologize for what?"

Junior rubs his temples, feeling an impending headache incoming. "Your first week of Beacon and you brought a girl over here." Jaune's expression holds unchanging. "You... you are going to have a lot of problems with women."

Jaune snorts at how on the money the statement was. "You have no idea."

"No, Jaune. You have no idea." Junior shakes his head as he walks away.

 _Oh crap, Yang!_ He looks around trying to find his companion to the party, seeing her talking to two other guys. Walking over, he prays she does not do anything rash.

"And so, I told him, I like to start my fight's off with a Yang!" She throws out a punch at an imaginary enemy. "Bam!"

The two step back from her fists while laughing dryly at her story. One of them speak up. "Actually, we were planning to head to another party around here. Do you want to join us?"

 _Stranger danger!_ Before Yang answers, Jaune steps in between them and interrupts the conversation. "Sorry boys, but she's with me. But I'm sure there are some other nice girls who would love to go to that party with you." He gives them the biggest smile physically possible, hoping to avoid trouble. _Let's not make causing trouble a trend._

"Really? She's with you, scraggly?" The other one answers, walking closer and looking down at him.

 _Why does everyone call me that?!_ "Even if I'm not, I'm well acquainted with the owner of this place. We wouldn't want to cause any _trouble_ for him, now would we?"

The two look at each other, nodding and acknowledging the hidden threat in his remark. Clicking their tongues, they walk away. "Fine, whatever. Dumb blondes should stick together anyway."

"Who are you calling a dumb blonde?" Yang puts her fist together, ready to charge them. Jaune holds her back as they walk away. "Yeah, that's right! Run away!"

"Yang, when I told you not to pick a fight with a chair, that doesn't mean pick a fight with people." He stabilizes her as she wobbles drunkenly. "Come on, let's sit down and wait for the alcohol to pass through your system."

Letting her sit on the bar stool, he swipes the drink from her hand. Yang tries to take back her drink, but completely misjudges the distance, slapping him in the cheek instead. "Hmm. I might just be a bit drunk."

He takes her hand off his face and places it on the table, cheek slightly red. "Right. So explain to me why we're out here again?"

"Duh? It's Friday night! Better to come out here and party than staying in the dorms all night. Besides, I can use a break after this hectic week." Ignoring the fact that she can barely sit up straight, she orders another drink from the bartender.

The bartender looks at Jaune for confirmation. He shakes his head in response to deny the additional drink. "It has been a hectic week. That's why I intended to sit in my room and relax. Besides, tomorrow-"

Yang cuts him off. "Nope, sorry, all I hear are excuses. Just look at this!" She extends her hand out in a sweeping motion towards the dancefloor. "Look at all the opportunities you're missing out on!"

Jaune scans the dancefloor with its obnoxiously loud music and flashing colors, seeing one guy puke in the corner. On the opposite end, a large brusque man pushes another man down trying to start a fight before being escorted off by the bouncers. "Chances to fight and get horribly intoxicated? No thanks. You're free to do so… actually, you've already done both. Can we leave now?" He pulls out the scroll to check for the timetable for the airship, but Yang takes it away before he can. "Hey!"

"Sorry, but you're not getting out of this one. Besides, didn't you say you have trouble with girls? Well, look at all the girls you can practice talking to! There, there, and there!" She points to all the girls sitting alone around the room.

 _Despite the fact that she's drunk and I'm sure one of those is a guy, her argument does have some logic. Maybe I just need more practice…_ "Okay, what should I do?"

Yang flashes him a smile before pulling on his arm, walking towards the nearest girl. She taps the stranger on the shoulder. "Hi, have you met Jaune?" The girl turns around as Yang walks away, leaving the boy to fend for himself.

 _Okay, no need to panic. Let's start using that book. Start off with a nice, easy introduction._ He gives an awkward smile. "Uhh, hi, I'm Jaune." The small girl turns around, revealing her half pink and brown hair. The multicolor eyes of pink and brown stares at his face, examining his features. "How are you doing tonight?"

The girl continues staring at his face without a response. After a few blinks, she opens her eyes wide in shock. Clutching her umbrella tightly, she swings at him, causing him to duck to avoid the attack.

 _What the hell?_ Seeing the girl ready to take another swing at him, he slowly steps back, trying to diffuse the situation. "Sorry, did I do something to upset-" Before he can even finish, she launches another surprise attack at him, elbowing him in the abdomen. As he keels over in pain, she stampedes off, eyebrows furrowed and glaring at him the entire way.

Yang walks over, hand over her mouth in an attempt to hide her smile and laugh. "Puhahaha, you weren't kidding! You barely got a word in before she started taking swings!" She extends a hand to help him up, the unsympathetic grin stuck on her face.

"I'm glad you're enjoying my suffering." _My luck with girls is the worst._ "I might cry at this point." Taking the hand and standing back up, he brushes off the dust on his pants. "I think I'm just going to go home."

"Don't be like that, lady-killer." Yang gives him a light punch to the arm as he groans at the new nickname. "Alright, let's just enjoy this without bringing up your lady troubles. Do you know how to dance?"

"Uhh, sort of?" He scratches his head, looking at the floor sheepishly. "I have never danced in front of others, so I don't know if it's good or bad."

Yang shoves him onto the dance floor, knocking him into several others. As he apologizes, Yang eggs him on. "Let's go, show me what you got!"

"The dance I learned isn't exactly-"

"Less talking! More dancing!"

 _Why is she so pushy?_ Sighing at the unreasonable request, he glances around him to see others shaking their hips and tapping their feet to the music. Imitating them, he also includes swinging his arms and nodding his head at the rhythm. He looks over to see Yang covering her face, looking away and avoiding eye contact. "What?"

Yang walks over and pushes his arms on to his side to stop him from moving. "I thought you said you know how to dance! That looked like an angry chicken jumping around after getting its head cut off!"

Jaune looks around to see people snickering, as well as a few others who overheard nodding at her comment. "I didn't exactly learn how to dance at a club. You can't expect me to just get it on my first try!"

"Fine. What kind of dance do you know?"

Jaune's face flushes red as he remembers his dance lessons. "It's embarrassing to admit…"

"Then just show me."

 _She's so bossy!_ "Okay, fine!" Jaune grabs Yang's right hand with his left, pulling their hands slightly above their shoulders and in center between them. He puts his right hand over her shoulder blade in preparation for the dance. "Place your other hand over my shoulder, and follow my lead!"

Yang's eyes open wide after realizing what they were about to do. "Wait, you're not going to-"

"Sorry, but if you're going to be this pushy about it, then I will too!" The two twirl around as he leads her in a waltz, dancing and maneuvering around the others. With the speakers blaring techno music, they garner more and more attention with how out of place their dance is. As they complete more of the waltz, people stop dancing around them just to point and laugh at their ridiculous behavior.

"Okay, I get it. I may have been a bit too forceful about making you stay. We can stop now." Yang starts to let go of her hands, but Jaune's grasp on her tightens.

 _Actually, this is fun._ "Sorry Yang, but you did say to enjoy myself. So I'm going to enjoy this fully." He brings his left hand over her, twirling her in place. "Besides, don't you like this attention you're getting?"

Yang rolls her eyes. "I have enough of that at school. Between the youngest to ever attend Beacon, the heiress, and, well, me, our team isn't exactly low profile. How long are we going to do this for?"

"Another minute? If I remember correctly, the song playing in my head lasts for that long."

"This is going to be the longest minute of my life." They continue to waltz around, stopping just as the club's music stops as well. "That was well timed." Before she could let go, a song contrasting the club atmosphere plays, replacing the loud and rhythmic bass with guitars and violins. "What?"

The two look up at the DJ, where Junior stands staring at the two. He mouths "keep going," with a smirk on his face.

"Well, you heard the man." Jaune steps closer, their faces now centimeters away from each other. "I hope you know how to tango."

"I do, but are we really doing this?" With the proximity of their faces, Jaune could see a tinge of red on her face.

"Too late to back out now." An expression of pure elation appears on his face. "He was even considerate enough to play one of my favorite songs."

 _ **Sway, by Dean Martin, plays in the background.**_

As the two tango, they dominate the space around them, the others walking back to give them room. They step in perfect sync, their legs twirling in mirrored movements, their feet landing in precise harmony. Feeling the warmth of the other with each stride, the bodies come closer and closer until their clothes graze with each shift. Each movement is natural, like a pulse flowing through their connected arms. Their movement tango intensifies, with each adept motion contributing to the whirlwind that is their dance. No words exchange between them. Their locked eyes and bodies communicate everything. Their eyes reflect each other, gazes unbreaking even when Jaune's hand grabs on to her waist, lifting her up and leaning her towards him. Without hesitation, Yang kicks her feet out, extending them outward as he spins in place, landing as delicately as a rose petal in a breeze. Her hand returns on top of his like a puzzle piece returning to place, bonding the two together. Each gesture continues in likeness, Jaune leading her movements, her hands and legs moving exactly as he dictates. Contrasting his usual demeanor, he confidently guides her in each part of the tango. The dance finally ends as she leans on to him, arching her back in his hold, presenting her like a delicate glass sculpture towards the crowd.

Silence monopolizes the room, everyone in perfect stillness at the performance they observed. One clap emerges after a few seconds, changing into a roar of applause with some whistles in between. _Well, at least now I know what my dancing is like._

The two separate from their link, walking back with flushed faces to the bar as the previous techno music comes back. Some spectators approach them before Junior comes, shooing them off. "Nice dance, kids. I thought you were going to humiliate yourself, but instead you just made everyone here jealous at the fact that they can't dance."

 _Whew, I don't have to face Yang quite yet._ "Thanks for putting on that song." Jaune scratches his head, not knowing what else to say. "It is one of my favorites."

Junior scoffs in amusement. "Of course it is. It was Xenith's too. Considering how you act and talk like her, it only makes sense you end up liking the same things." He gives a slight nod to the bartender, who brings over two plates of pancake. "This is thanks for performance. Livened up the night. I'm going to deal with the aftermath."

As Jaune looks at the plates, the connection clicks in his head. "You were the one Beacon gave the red sap!"

As Junior walks away, he flashes a smile that reveals all of his teeth. "Yup. Considering you both had a part in that too, wouldn't sit right with me without offering you some."

Jaune turns back to face Yang, hearing her mutter under her breath. "I see. It's the contrast. The gap in demeanor makes all the difference…"

"Hey, Yang." She continues to murmur without noticing the boy. "Hello, Remnant to Yang!" He waves his hand in front of her to get her attention.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Great dance, Jaune. Where you'd learn to dance like that?" Yang answers, but her eyes still avoids his.

 _She seems out of it._ "Master taught me. She saw it in one of those old spy action movies, how the partners danced as cover. She wanted to learn how to and ended up roping me into it. Thought I wouldn't like it, but it ended up being one of my favorite activities. How about you?"

"It was one of the things Dad made me do. Said it helped me be more feminine. Well, I got that other ways." She leans forward and waggles her eyebrows at him.

 _Uhhhhhhhhh._ "hhhhhhhhh." He senses his face scorching red and feeling as if steam is escaping from his ears. To distract himself, Jaune looks down at his plate and starts eating the pancakes.

"Yup, still the same Jaune." Yang begins devouring her pancakes as well. "You know, if you talked as confidently as you danced, you wouldn't have so many problems."

"But they're so different! I have experience in dancing, but I could count how many people I talked to before coming to Vale on one hand." His hand stops cutting into his food as he lets out a sigh. "Maybe I'll always be like this."

Yang gives him a hearty slap on the back. "You'll be fine, Jaune. Some girls like guys like you. Besides, wouldn't you rather just be yourself than having others like a fake version of you?"

"I guess. It still hurts though." He lets out another sigh. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up. I really did have fun with the dance. If your goal coming here was to destress, it definitely helped. What about you?"

Yang shakes her head. "Ugh. Don't remind me."

Jaune quickly begins apologizing. "Oh, sorry! I thought the point of coming to a bar was to exchange complaints. Was I wrong?"

"You're not wrong. But it does feel wrong to dump my troubles on you. I'm the big sister of the team, you know. I take care of everyone else, not the other way around."

 _Now that I think about it, she does exhibit a lot of the older sister character tropes._ He gives a shrug. "I don't mind. Everyone has grievances. Now what's bothering Onee-chan?"

"Onee-chan?" Yang raises her eyebrow, looking at him as if he came from another planet.

"Slip of the tongue. Anyway, lay it on me." The corners of her mouth curl up as the words escape his lips. "I know what I said."

"Alright, alright, you've convinced me. Our team is kind of a mess, you know?"

He shakes his head. _Best let her explain first._ "Nope."

"Right… Your team is actually balanced. Ren and Pyrrha seem pretty level headed." Jaune yells out in protest at the thinly veiled insult as she continues. "Well, between Weiss being so anal and being the SDC's heiress, Rubes being younger than everyone else and socially awkward, and Blake keeping to herself and being hands off, our team is all over the place. I'm trying to help everyone get along, but that was already hard with the fiasco at the start of the week. I don't know how much worse it's going to get." She lets out a sigh.

 _She definitely put a lot of thought into this._ "Have you talked to anyone else about this?" She shakes her head. "How about starting with that? It's as much as the team's trouble as is yours."

"Not sure how much they could help. But it can't hurt to try. Did you do that as well?"

"Yup. It definitely helped." _Yeah, the conversation with Pyrrha really helped._ Reminding him of the plans tomorrow, he gives another suggestion. "Why don't you start with bonding as a team? Pyrrha suggested something similar, and that's what we're doing tomorrow. They might get along more by not being in a stressful school setting." _Despite what Weiss says, she does enjoy something other than schoolwork._

Yang puts her hand on her chin in consideration of his suggestion. "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like fun. It might make Blake drop her guard…" She gives a playful smile at that statement, her eyes shining as she formulates a plan.

 _Oh no. That's the same look Master gets when she has an awful idea, the same look Ozpin got at the interrogation room. But it's not for me this time. Eh, what's the worst that can happen?_

"So now that we gushed about our troubles, what's next?"

Yang's smile expands. "Isn't it obvious?" She tilts his head back as she forces a drink down his throat. He flails his arm in resistance, but Yang overpowers him as the alcohol flows down his esophagus.

 _When did she get the chance to order another drink? Oh God, is this the Crevice Spike?! I can feel my brain cells dying by the second._ Finishing the drink, he inhales deeply, hoping the air will help the burning in his throat. "Yang, I can't handle alcohol." He grabs his neck, coughing in an attempt to regurgitate the alcohol. "Oh no. No. No!"

"Aww, you big baby. You're at a bar! You can't just order chocolate milk!" She holds another drink, ready to force him to drink again.

"No, you don't understand! Alcohol makes me-" Without even finishing the sentence, that was the last thing he remembered saying.

* * *

 **That's the start of the weekend, with fire and ice! Oh man, I really hope Jaune isn't an angry drunk, or the club is going to have to go through repairs again.**

 **Thanks for reading the chapter! I wanted to give Weiss and Yang more interactions with Jaune. And we can see how natural Jaune/Weiss is when he isn't trying to hit on her the entire time. I hoped you enjoy that!**

 **There will be another slice of life chapter before we get into Jaune's reason for coming to Beacon, where things get darker. Look forward to it!**


	12. Chapter 11: The Calm Pt 2

**Hiya, Mithos here! This chapter will bring a close to our first week at Beacon (Who knew one week would take a month to write?). I hope it comes off as funny, because I thought some of the lines were gold.**

 **As always, special thanks to** **Hakumein for actual laughing at my jokes (and giving me ideas), masterofbones for laughing at everything else (and correcting my terrible grammar), and** **Ordon for getting the idea of a Murloc invasion into R** **emnant stuck in my head.**

 **Hope you all enjoy the story!**

* * *

Jaune opens his eyes to find himself lying upside down on the couch, legs dangling off the back. _How did I get here? There was studying with Weiss, then the game, and then the alcohol was the last thing I remember… Oh. OH. Oh no._

"Good morning, lover-boy." Yang looks down at him, sitting on the chair opposite of him. "You comfortable in that position?"

 _Why is she waggling her eyebrows… Oh. I get it. No, Yang, this is serious business!_ Quickly fixing his posture, he faces her with the most somber expression he can muster. "Yang, please be honest. What happened last night?"

"Let's see." She puts a finger up to her chin in consideration. "We went to the nightclub."

"Right…" He tenses up as she continues.

"Then we danced…"

"Uh huh." Jaune moves closer in anticipation of her answer.

"Then you had the Crevice Spike and we stayed at Junior's place since the airships stopped running." The tension drains from his body as he relaxes and slouches back on the couch. Yang grins as she sees him relax. "Oh, and some stuff happened in between that was pret-ty embarrassing."

Jaune ruffles his hair in frustration. "Damn it, Yang! What happened?!" She smirks in response with a zipping motion with her mouth to indicate her silence. This fuels his panic as he feels cold sweat running down his back.

As Jaune bangs his head on the table trying to remember, Melanie and Miltia leave their rooms, yawning and stretching out their arms. They greet him with a "Good morning," Melanie with a big smile on her face while Miltia refuses to meet his eyes.

 _Miltia not looking at me is a bad sign._ "Morning. Say, the alcohol seems to be affecting my memory. Can you remind me what happened after I got drunk?"

As soon as the words left his lips, Miltia's face blooms red as she runs off back to her room, slamming the door on arrival. Melanie's smile grows. "You don't remember? This is going to be interesting."

 _Damn it, is there some sort of secret rule for girls to not answer my question?!_ On that thought, Junior leaves his room with a scowl on his face. _Thank you, finally someone that might be reasonable._ "Junior, can you enlighten me on what happened last night?"

Junior's scowl grows visibly worse as he furrows his eyebrows. "What happened? What HAPPENED?!" His voice booms, shaking the table. _Oh god, he sounds even angrier than when Yang ruined the club._ "You decided to stick your tongue down the throat of everyone you talked to!"

A sweep of relief runs through him before he begins panicking again. _Thank god it wasn't like last time. Wait. Everyone?_ He can see Yang and Melanie grinning at what that implies. "I'm so sorry!" He stands up and takes a deep bow, back in a ninety degree angle. "When I drink, I tend to get overly friendly. I'm really sorry for what I did!"

Yang gives a shrug. "That's alright. Though, I was hoping you'd get more embarrassed." She pinches his cheeks as he straightens his back. "Not as big of a reaction as I had wanted." _Only because this wasn't as bad as the first time..._

Melanie gives him a coy smile. "I accept your apology. However, use less tongue next time."

 _Good, I didn't want to ruin my friendship with the twins. Wait, next time?_

"That's okay. But there's no way in hell you're ever getting a drink at my place again." Junior sighs as he finishes off the chorus of pardons.

"Wait. Did I…?" Jaune adjusts his shirt collar nervously.

Yang gives him a light punch. "There you go, you love hunter! This explains your troubles! You were just batting for the wrong team!" Jaune groans at the nickname variation she made for him. "Made a big scene out of it too. For how long you were going, I thought you were going to suffocate the man."

"Yes. Now stop talking about it." Junior shakes his head as he walks off to the kitchen. Jaune can feel a hot burning sensation on his cheeks. _Well, that definitely didn't happen last time._

Yang lets out a loud laugh. "That's the expression I wanted to see." She starts fiddling with her scroll. "So Jaune, what are your plans for the rest of today? I'm planning on bringing the rest of my team out for some bonding if you want to join us?"

Melanie sends a glare at Yang. "Actually, Miltia and I were planning to go on another shopping trip that we would love some company for." The two girls look at each other, staring each other down for their respective invitation.

Jaune misses the sparks flying between the two as he remembers his plans for today. _Oh CRAP!_ He pulls the scroll out from his pockets. _57 Missed Calls and 108 Messages from Pyrrha._ "Yang, did you ever let our teams know we weren't going to be back last night?"

"Now that you mention it, that completely slipped my mind. Eh, I'm sure Rubes will explain it to everyone. Not the first time I didn't go back." The tapping on her scroll intensifies. "Why, what's the problem?"

Looking at his scroll again, he notices it is already past the meeting time. "I have to go! I'll make up for this next time! Again, I'm really sorry!" His voice barely reaches them as he runs out the door, clothes disheveled and shoes only half donned.

"So… do you think we should tell him about the girls he kissed that left their scroll numbers for him?" Melanie removes a small stack of papers from her pocket.

Yang takes the papers and rips them up. "Naw. This awkward easily-embarrassed Jaune is so much more fun."

Melanie nods as she takes out a significantly larger stack of papers from her other pocket. "Then what about the guys'?"

Yang flashes her a smile as she takes the other stack. "I've got a plan for these."

* * *

Jaune sits in a seiza position, staring at an imaginary spot on the picnic blanket to avoid the gaze of his angry partner. Even without seeing her face, he can feel the intensity of her stare on him, hot enough to set fire to the grass or the trees surrounding them. Looking around, he sees everyone else in park avoid looking towards their direction, afraid of being caught in the crossfire. He tries to extend his hand out at the lunchbox in front of him before Pyrrha slaps it away, her anger unabated.

"Pyrrha, I believe he has apologized enough. Let him eat." Ren begins eating from his lunch of fried rice, kimchi, salted salmon, and egg rolls. "He looks like he's about to pass out."

 _That's because I haven't eaten in twelve hours! God, Ren's lunch looks delicious._ Jaune wipes the drool off the corner of his mouth and looks down at the lunch in front of him, unable to touch it due to the angry woman in front of him. As his stomach rumbles in hunger, he looks up at her with the best puppy-eye impression he can muster. "Please? Honestly, I really am sorry."

Pyrrha lets out an exasperated sigh. "Jaune, you keep disappearing on us. With how unpredictable you are, you can hardly fault us for being worried or angry you didn't reply to any of our messages. But I suppose it isn't worth ruining our outing for that. You can eat."

"Yay!" He quickly shovels the food into his mouth, pieces of chicken sticking on to his face. "Thars iz diligous. Tanks for the food!" Swallowing before he continues, he turns to face Ren. "As your leader, I now designate you as Main Chief!"

"You're welcome. But I hope you would appreciate it by eating it more cleanly." Ren hands him a napkin that he uses to wipe his face. "I suppose I should be happy that you're not as bad as Nora."

"Speaking of, where is she?" Scanning around the park, he can not find any signs of the orange haired girl. "I thought this was supposed to be a team bonding picnic."

This time, Ren lets out a sigh. "On our way here, Nora found a stray dog and went chasing after it. I let her know where we are, she should be here any moment now."

As if calling out her name summoned her, Nora runs in through the park entrance with thirty dogs in tow. "I'm queen of the castle~" She gives a short hop each time she repeats her ditty as she approaches the rest of the team. People scamper off as the dogs threaten to stampede and run them over, one couple even losing their blanket in the escape.

On arrival, she gives a waving motion toward the dogs. "Disperse, my minions!" With that command, the dogs all split off in different directions. She sits down on the blanket next to Ren and begins eating her lunch of pancakes like nothing happened.

"Nora's semblance isn't talking to animals or something, right?" Jaune looks over at Ren, hoping he would have some answers.

"No, but she always did have an affinity with stray animals. It was difficult keeping some from following her to Beacon." Ren wipes the syrup off Nora's face with a napkin.

 _Okay, so don't try to understand things you learn about Nora. That way lies madness._

As Nora slurps her pancakes, she finally meets the gazes of everyone. "Oh, hey Jauny, you're actually here! You didn't come back yesterday, so we took bets on what happened to you. My bet was that you were abducted by an alien. Were you?" She crawls closer, her face inches away him as she stares into his eyes. "Were you?"

Jaune slides back to gain some distance. "No. Yang dragged me out to a club and we lost track of time. Ended up staying at a friend's place overnight."

Pyrrha interjects. "So you and Yang spent the night together?"

"Yes." _Wait, that sounds wrong._ "Well, we were in separate rooms. I think. I don't actually remember." _Wait, that didn't help._ "Basically, nothing happened, so don't worry about it!" He gives them a feigned smile, hoping to alleviate their worries. _Please don't ask any more questions. It'll be really awkward if I have to talk about the kisses again._

Everyone gives him a look of disbelief, not trusting his story. A few seconds later, Nora opens her eyes wide. "Wait, that answer is exactly what an alien-made clone of Jaune would say!" She grabs his face, squeezing to form fish lips. "If you aren't an imposter, then tell me, WHO IS JAUNE IN LOVE WITH?!"

"I love Master. But I don't think that answer helps tell me apart from a copy, considering I never told any of you." As he takes her hands off his face, he can see a look of disappointment on Pyrrha's face. _Was she really hoping I was an alien clone?_ "And please stop doing that."

Nora blinks a few times, before giving a shrug and going back to her pancakes. At the mention of Jaune's master, Ren takes out a book from his bag. "Here's the copy of _**Grimm**_ you requested. I'll give you the other copies later."

Jaune stares blankly at the book as he flips through the pages. "Ren. These pages are hand-copied. Why are they hand-copied?" _Oh God, he even hand wrote the page numbers. How much time did he spent on this?!_ Upon closer examination, Jaune can see dark circles under the boy's eyes.

Ren tilts his head in confusion. "What do you mean? How else would you copy something?"

Jaune screams out. "With a copier! Modern technology! Something that doesn't make you spend days on!" Ren continues looking at him with a blank expression. "Okay, tag out. Pyrrha, you're in."

Pyrrha clears her throat. "What he means is that with a copier, you can copy these pages without having to handwrite them, saving you a great deal of effort. You do know what a copier is, right?"

Nora bursts out in between Pyrrha and Ren to interject her own answer. "Nope! Ren's sensei was super old fashioned, so he's very technology inept. The only thing he knows how to do on his scroll is to make calls!" Jaune and Pyrrha look over at Ren who nods in agreement.

Question marks float over Jaune's head. "Wait… So then how do you enter our room?"

"Duh? That's why we're always together!" Nora grabs Ren by the shoulder and pulls him closer. "We're like two peas in a pod! If one pea had the strength of ten other peas and the other pea is a ninja!"

Ren appears nonchalant as Nora tightens her grip to prove her point. "In the case she's not there, I climb in through the window. The teachers have already been notified of this."

 _What the hell?_ "Nora, the two of you have been together for awhile-"

Nora interrupts. "But not together-together."

"Right. Haven't you tried to teach him how to use electronics?" _How does one live without electronics? I go into withdrawal a day without it!_

"I tried, but inexplicably they always explode in Ren's hands." Nora shrugs. "So I gave up on trying."

Jaune suppresses the urge to facepalm as he hands the book back to Ren. "Can you make sure he uses a copier to do the next ones? And Ren, whenever you have technology troubles, just ask me. It'll save me headaches in the long run."

"Aye aye, boss man!" Nora salutes Jaune before running off to chase the nearest dog in the vicinity.

Ren gives a slight nod before he begins to pursue her. "I'm going to make sure she doesn't get too rough with the animals. Her hugs can and did break ribs." _With how her last one almost suffocated me, I'm not surprised._

The remaining two clean up the empty lunchboxes before moving the blanket underneath the tree's shade. Drinking the tea Ren prepared, they sit next to each other observing as Ren chases Nora as she chases after a dog. When Nora finally catches up, she holds it in an iron grip while giving it a hug. After a few moments, Ren taps on her shoulder, causing her to change her hug into a toss into the air instead. She begins juggling it, giggling as the dog's saliva spray around her and the dog's legs flail around wildly in an attempt to escape.

Seeing this scene, the other children in the park start crowding around them, where Ren replicates Nora's behavior with the children. Ren cracks a small smile as the other children laugh and leap on to him, asking for their turn. Nora eventually lets the dog go before joining Ren playing with the children.

Jaune breaks the silence. "You know, when we're like this, do you think we resemble the other parents looking at their children?" He looks over to see Pyrrha's face with a tinge of red. _That's strange. It isn't that hot of a day._

Pyrrha looks at the other parents in the park, avoiding his gaze. "Perhaps. But in our family of four, I believe you would be the difficult child in the family."

"Hey! That's… actually accurate. Strangely enough, Nora doesn't get any complaints." He scratches his head. "I wonder why."

"It's a difference in expectations. People expect Nora to behave as she does. You, on the other hand, are hard to predict." Pyrrha inches closer. "I don't mind, but I wish you would inform us about your side adventures."

Jaune looks away with a 'Mmm,' an answer neither accepting or denying her request. _Sorry, but I have secrets that I can never tell any of you._

Turning their gazes back towards Nora and Ren, they see the children dragging them off towards the playground. The two look over in their direction for permission, where Jaune gives a shooing motion to give his authorization. The kids chase them, smiles cemented on their face as they run around in a game of tag. Whether it is the pollen getting into his eyes or the scene's inherent innocence, Jaune finds himself teary eyed.

"Jaune, what is your reason for wanting to be a Hunter?"

 _That was an abrupt change in topic._ "Master, the person who took care of me, was a Huntress. I admire her more than anyone else in the world, so it only seems natural that I would imitate her. Why'd you ask?"

Pyrrha looks at at the children swarming around Ren and Nora with a shine in her eye. "This scene reminds me of why I wanted to be a Huntress." She wipes away a small tear from the corner of her eye. "My family comes from a long line of Hunters, and it is up to the eldest of each generation to continue the legacy. That fell upon me, but…"

Jaune hands her a tissue. "Did you not want to?"

Pyrrha uses the tissue to blow her nose. "No, I did. But being a child, that didn't stop my jealousy of the freedom that my siblings and other children had. While they were off laughing in the playground with their friends, I had to run and throw spears until my arms and legs felt like falling off."

"But it was worth it in the end, right? You can reasonably call yourself one of the best in your generation. And that gave you opportunities that few can say they had." He sees her look away with a pained expression. "Am I wrong?"

Pyrrha bites on her lower lip. "You are correct. However, as a child, I couldn't see past my jealousy. All I wanted were friends of my own, people I could relate with. Eventually, I broke down in anger and told my father I wanted to quit and my reason why."

Jaune pours more tea for Pyrrha, not asking for her to continue. _She'll tell me more when she feels comfortable enough to do so._ They find their eyes naturally drawn back towards their teammates. Nora leads half of the group of children in an attack on Ren, while Ren carries the other half in a strategic retreat into the play structure. However, Ren's group eventually becomes cornered and they bow down in surrender. _What kind of surrealist game did they change to?_

Pyrrha lets out a small laugh. "What game do you think Nora ended roping them into?"

"I don't know, but seeing as how Nora is demanding reparations, I don't want to think too hard about it."

A few minutes elapses in silence before Pyrrha continues. "After hearing out my outburst, my father told me to follow him. He lead me to a bench to watch the playground that my siblings and their friends were playing at." Jaune passes her another tissue as she looks down in an attempt to suppress her tears. As she speaks, she deliberates over each word as if they directly weigh her down. "I will never forget what he told me: 'Pyrrha, you want the freedom and innocence they have. You want to have friends you can play with, and to live with a sense of security without the fear of Grimm. However, you must understand, it is only because you have taken the responsibility of being a Huntress that gives them this opportunity. Because you have the talent to survive and fight back against the Grimm, that none of them will have to. You're the one that will protect their smiles.' After he said that, my father held me in a close hug, saying 'I'm sorry for forcing this responsibility on you.'"

The sounds of laughter around them seem out of place in their solemn atmosphere. As Pyrrha wipes away the tears on her face, Jaune wraps his arm around her, placing his hand on her shoulder and holding her close. The soft sobbing slowly dies out before she begins speaking in a whisper. "My father died a year later defending an orphanage outside Vale. In his letter to me, he told me how he had been reluctant to be a Hunter as well. However, when he considered the choice to have the ability to defend his future children as opposed to not, that cut away all his hesitation." She rests her head on his shoulder. "The reason why I told you this story is because I want to bridge the gap between us. Jaune, I know you hide things from us. But I want us to be open, so I'll take the first step so you can take yours whenever you're ready. I want us to be partners more than just in name."

 _What can I say to that? Any promise will seem hollow, any answer will seem like a deflection. I'm sorry Pyrrha. Even if I see you as my partner, it'll be a long time before I can place that trust again. But, even if I can't do that, there is something I can do._

The two remain sitting in stillness, watching as the world continues without them. After the children around Ren and Nora disperse after being called by their parents, they return to restore the team once again.

"Hiya!" Nora gives a large smile and a wave as they approach. "Whatcha two talking about?" Ren takes a quick glance at Pyrrha before looking away. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops midway with a frown on his face.

Jaune musters as much confidence as he can to return the smile. "We were just talking about what to do next. Since we still have time, why don't we go watch a movie and go window shopping?"

"Ooo! I've been trying to find a pancake pattern to act as our new curtains for awhile now! That way, I can spot which room is ours even from the ground!"

 _Don't question it, don't question it._ They pack up the rest of their belongings and begin walking. However, Pyrrha stands in place, staring at the ground and lost in thought.

"Pyr? Let's go." Jaune turns back to grab Pyrrha's hand as she gives a conflicted smile. _Sorry, but I can't fulfill your wish for us to be transparent. But at least I can try and give you the friendship you wanted._

* * *

"Why did we let Nora pick the movie? The blood covered up so much of the screen I couldn't even see the actor's faces!" Jaune unlocks the door to their room to let everyone in.

Ren walks over and places their lunchboxes into the sink. "At least the dialogue was interesting. It must have been difficult to write a story composed entirely of one liners."

Nora tosses the shopping bags on the side of her bed. "Well, I liked it. I especially liked the part where the zombie's head came off." _That was like every other scene!_ "What did you think of the movie, Pyrrha?" Pyrrha sits on her bed without a response. "Pyrrha?"

"Hmm?" She looks up with eyes unfocused. "I thought the movie was good." Ren opens his mouth to say something before falling silent.

 _It's probably my fault she's so down. But I can't answer her expectation of me. Not yet._ Hoping to clear the mood, he changes the topic. "Did we drop everything off? Let's go get food from the cafeteria before it gets too late." Nodding in agreement, the three follow Jaune to leave the room.

 _Oh hey, it's Team Ruby._ "Good evening, gi-" As they step out, the reality of what he is looking at sinks in and his words leave him.

"Good evening, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, and lover hunter. You all looked like you saw a ghost." Yang grins as she observes their reactions. "So, what do you think?"

In front of him, Jaune sees Weiss wearing a maid uniform, wearing a lace headpiece instead of her usual ribbon that ties her ponytail. A duster is strapped onto the side to complete the costume. Next to her, Blake is dressed in a police uniform, the police cap replacing her black ribbon. By her side, she has a baton that is most certainly not a prop. Ruby also has donned a costume, a wolf costume with fake plastic teeth. She carries a wicker basket that finds use only in fairy tales.

Jaune can only mumble the scrambled words 'Blargu,' as response for the scene in front of him. Everyone stands in silence before turning to face Nora when a flash of light comes forth from her scroll. "What? There's no way I'm not keeping a picture of this."

After Nora's response, Weiss and Blake unleash their anger as they stomp forward towards Jaune, backing him into the door of Team Juniper's room.

Weiss takes out the duster and points at him with a glare on her face. "Yang said this was _your_ idea." She smiles in a way that send shivers down his spine. "How would you like to die?"

"Yes, Jaune." Blake walks forward, slapping the baton on her hand menacingly. "What are your last words before you meet misery's manifestation?"

The danger of his situation finally snaps him back into reality. "How was this my idea?! The only thing I told Yang was… wait, how in the hell did Yang convinced you to do this anyway?"

The blonde responsible takes out her scroll and taps on it with a growing grin. "I have dirt on everyone. And I mean _everyone._ "

Jaune catches the subtle threat. "Yes. This was entirely my fault. It was my idea to make everyone dress up in ironic costumes. This is in no way Yang's terrible elaborate plan to make me take the fall for her."

A laugh escapes from Pyrrha at his confession. "I'm sorry, it's just… Jaune, you didn't have to..." She continues her hysteric laughter.

 _That was the first genuine laugh I heard from her all day. If me playing the fool would alleviate her worries, then…_ Using his partner as distraction, Jaune takes out his scroll and unlocks the door to his room. "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!" He sprints toward the window, jumping out of it as the baton whooshes past his head. Grabbing the tree branch, he makes a spin to kill his momentum before landing.

Jaune looks up to see the rest of the two teams staring down at him. He quotes one of the movie's one-liners before making a mad dash. ""Hasta-la-vista, baby!"

Ruby shouts at him before he can get much distance. "Wait, so are we still going to the date tomorrow?"

As soon as she said it, Jaune turns around to see a gigantic red ball of Aura emitting from the window. _Well Nora, with this I definitely won't forget which room is ours looking from the ground up._

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Jaune." Ruby looks up at him with a pout. "I didn't realize Yang would get so angry. I just used the word date like Blake taught me, but I didn't realize how I misused it, and then you had to get punished, but seriously who knew Weiss could move so fast-"

Jaune puts his hand on her head to ruffle her hair while giving a reassuring smile. "Rubes, it's okay. It's not your fault. Your team is just... really protective." _And vindictive._ "Yang apologized, and we got a crazy story out of it. Who knew Blake was so proficient in rope use?" _Actually, why does she have rope treated with beeswax anyway? The only reason I can think of is…_

Ruby returns the smile but with a hint of guilt in her expression. "Well, I'm going to make it up to you. I'll teach you so hard you'll hit a target from a hundred yards away blindfolded!" She pushes him in front of the stand of the shooting range, placing an unloaded handgun in front of him. "That's a G20. Let me know if the weight or feel is good. It doesn't have the cartridge in it, so just know it's lighter than it's supposed to be."

Jaune picks up the handgun, copying the police's shooting pose he saw in the action movie yesterday. "The gun itself is fine, but it feels weird holding a weapon that's not a sword."

"Once we mod your sword, that won't be a problem. Now let's adjust your posture." Ruby grabs his arms in an attempt to fix his stance. "Ughhh… I can't see from it from your perspective." She grabs a short stool and places it behind him to stand on and elevate her height.

"Shouldn't we put ammo before we shoot? Isn't that the whole point?"

"Pshhh. You're not getting live ammo as a complete beginner. We're going to do some dry runs and image training before you get to actually shoot. Now let's see." Ruby closes the distance between the two and grabs his arms, changing his form until he stands in the correct shooting posture. "Huh. Everyone else says you're scrawny, but you actually have some muscle."

"Thank you! You have no idea how many times I hear that. So, how do I look?" He pulls the trigger a few times as he takes imaginary aim at the targets.

"You look...fine." She shortens the distance until he could feel her breath on his back.

"Uhhh Rubes?" There is no answer as she wraps his arms around his, squeezing his biceps. "RUBY!"

Ruby shakes her head as she escapes her trance. "Huh? What? Oh, sorry, were you saying something? I got distracted by something Blake said the other day."

 _What the hell is Blake teaching this girl?_ "I was talking about my shooting posture. Does this look right to you?"

"Yup, it looks fine! Now try and do some visualization and aiming while I tell you how accurate or off you are."

 **A few hours later…**

"Jaune…"

"Don't say it…"

"You haven't hit the target a single time yet." _That line never works! It's almost like it motivates them to say it anyway!_ Ruby holds up several paper targets with the only holes being outside the picture of the person. "Let's try this one more time to see what happened. I don't see any problems with how you're aiming, standing, or holding the gun. This is really weird."

Jaune picks up the gun, loading the cartridge in. Taking a deep breath, he stands exactly how Ruby describes it, lining up the sight and taking aim. He squeezes the trigger, firing several rounds. He lets out a sigh as each shot misses the target's human silhouette. Removing the cartridge, he places the gun down and facing towards the range. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I feel like I'm aiming correctly and everything too."

Ruby taps on her scroll, causing the machine to bring up the paper target up to them. "I saw it. You have everything down, but the moment you press down on the trigger you unconsciously move your aim, causing the shot to miss. It's almost like…"

 _Like I can't even consider the idea of killing another person. Even if it's only a picture of a human figure, I can't take aim at it._ "Thanks Rubes, but I don't think a gun is for me. I really appreciate your help though."

Ruby places a hand on his shoulder. "Jaune…"

Jaune takes her hand off him and gives a feigned smile. "No, it's okay! Master never taught me how to shoot anyway, so it's fine! As I said, a sword feels right to me, so I should just stick with that." Ruby opens her mouth to try and interrupt, but he continues speaking to prevent her from doing so. "Now, let's go get dinner. I might be able to convince the lunch lady to give us more cookies with my impish boy charms."

Ruby cracks a small smile at his claim. "Jaune, I think she will reduce the amount of cookies we get. No charms."

"Hmm. What if we use Ren's boyish charms instead…?"

* * *

Jaune collapses on his bed, the fatigue over the weekend finally catching up to him. _Still can't believe Weiss, Yang, and Blake hung me from the tree last night. I couldn't catch a wink of sleep yesterday._ He looks over to see the rest of his team in their beds. Ren sleeps in complete silence, chest not moving and breathing quietly like a corpse. Nora sleeps with the sheets and pillows already on the ground, her legs hanging off the bed. Pyrrha's posture seems relatively normal, the only thing out of place being the book still in her hands.

Jaune cracks a small smile as he reminisces about the weekend. _Studying was actually fun with Weiss. Yang is pushy, but everything is exciting with her around. My team always seem so supportive, and I'm never bored with them. And Ruby is so innocent, it's a fresh breath of air. I guess Ozpin was right to suggest that I come to Beacon._

His scroll vibrates in the drawer next to his bed. _Who would message me so late? Speak of the devil, it's Ozpin._ After opening and reading the message, Jaune grins in anticipation.

 _Come to my office at 8:00 pm on Wednesday. We have your first mission._

* * *

 **And that's the chapter! I hope it had a good mix of character development with fluff to make it enjoyable. As we can see, Pyrrha is a bit obsessive with the idea of Jaune, but he can't really respond in kind. The conflict will be something we see more in the future.**

 **As for the story, this is where we start heavily diverging from canon as we follow Jaune's missions and how he ends up being pulled into all the plots and schemes of Ozpin vs. Salem/Cinder. Keep an eye out for the next arc, it's going to be a biggie!  
**

 **And, as always, thank you all so very very much for reading and leaving reviews. Every comment pushes me to write as quickly as I can, so please comment away! Oh, and I plan on writing a smile omake/side chapter for Jaune/Master's interactions for Beacon for the 300 followers breakpoint. Let me know if that's something you guys want!  
**

 **Mithos out!**


	13. Chapter 12: The Storm Pt 1

**Hi, Mithos here! Sorry this chapter was more delayed than usual, I got distracted writing Sundown so this ended up being later than usual. As always, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Unfortunately, the tone of this will be a bit more serious as the arc continues just due to the nature of the material.**

 **Thanks to** **Hakumein** **and** **masterofbones for looking over this chapter. I felt like my writing slipped this chapter and they really helped me clean it up.**

* * *

"Jaune Arc, reporting for duty, sir and madam!" He gives his best impression of a salute as possible, hand flat on his side and back straight as an ironing board, with a smile plastered on his face.

Ozpin and Glynda return his greeting, with Glynda gesturing him to the chair in front of the desk. "Good evening, Jaune. Take a seat." He does as instructed. "How has your week been so far? Have you had any troubles adjusting?"

 _Hey, it's me. How can there not be any trouble?_ "I've had some problems, but they're more indicative of good things rather than bad. The week has been enjoyable, most notably being surrounded by great people."

"Good." Ozpin glances by the elevator door. "What are your impressions of your companions so far?"

Taking a deep breath to build up his confidence, he looks to directly return Ozpin's eye contact. "With all due respect, sir, why does this seem more like a counseling session than a briefing? I thought that was the reason I was called in."

Glynda sighs as she taps on her scroll. "Gratefully, you were punctual. However, the person in charge of your next mission is not. If he could just have some human decency to-"

Ozpin taps his cane on the floor to interrupt her. "Now, Glynda. Despite his… shortcomings, Qrow is one of our best operatives in the field. I would prefer to not criticize him before Jaune has a chance to see his strengths. While we wait, we can begin with one of the issues at hand: your role as an operative."

Glynda mutters under her breath as she walks over to one of the wall's side panels. _I must have misheard, cause I think she just called that Qrow person an asshole._ She places her black scroll next to the panel. After it scans the scroll with a beep, the floor opens up, lifting up a locker with a holographic keypad. "Jaune, if you would."

He saunters over to the locker, punching in the passcode '1019.' The locker opens with a click, revealing his katana Night's End. A coat hanger holds up a black punkified cassock with a small decorative chain connecting the belt with the upturned collar. On the shelf, a singular black scroll lies sideways against the wall.

Jaune smiles as he places his hand on the uniform in front of him. The cold silky touch is as exactly as he remembers it. Rubbing the cloth between his fingers, he runs his hand down each strand, stopping at the hem; the motion evokes the memory of his first encounter with the uniform, unlocking all the feelings long sealed away.

Jaune sits in the corner of the frigid stone room, clutching his knees. His plain white clothes are all damaged, holes littered throughout from cuts and the edges frayed from overuse. From the gaps in his clothing, one can see the numerous scars caused by blades and gunshot wounds. The room is devoid of candles and lamps, the only light that emerges are the infinitesimal slivers that slip their way in from the edges of the door. Frozen in thought and immobile in movement, he waits in anticipation for the door to open, signaling a brief respite from the prison.

A hushed creak thaws his frozen thoughts. As the door slowly swings open, his gaze directs toward the face of the person approaching. He expects either his jailor to be bringing him food, or The Doctor bringing him a mission. His eyes rise up to meet with those of a stranger.

Long flowing black hair. Piercing silver eyes. Jaune is momentarily stunned by both the unexpected visitor and the beauty in front of him. The light surrounding her appears to radiate from her presence in the form of a holy aura. Her black robe is analogous to those of a nun and only further emphasizes her impression on him.

The second freezes for an eternity as her appearance is imprinted into his memory and soul. Time flows again when she reaches out her hand toward him and utters the words he will never forget.

"Don't worry. Your hero's here."

That was the day Jaune was saved.

"Jaune, are you okay?" Glynda grabs on to his shoulder to shake him out of his reverie.

Shaking his head to get the memory out of his mind, he grabs everything from the locker and turns to face Glynda. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just got lost in an old memory. So should I also put on the uniform and carry the scroll around?"

"As well as these." She hands him a long black wig and an opera mask that covers the upper half of his face. "We want you to separate your identity as Jaune Arc and an operative."

"And I'm guessing it's not a coincidence that with the black hair wig, I look almost exactly like Master?" _Not that I mind, of course._

Ozpin nods. "The news of Xenith's death has not reached many of our enemies. As I have mentioned before, her presence and symbol itself was a deterrence for many criminals. Thankfully, you have inherited her technique with a similar physique. For you to take up the mantle means to keep that status quo."

Jaune's eyes light up, darting back and forth from the costume and to Glynda. "Wait. Doesn't that basically mean… I'M BAT-"

Glynda interrupts him before he could finish. "No, you are not Batman. For one, we are accountable for your actions, and second, you will have to follow our instructions. A huntsman has as much power to do good as evil."

His shoulders slump dejected while his eyes lose the previous excited shine. "That doesn't sound much like a hero. That sounds more like a soldier."

Silence fills the air as both adults find it difficult to look into his eyes and refute his statement. Ozpin takes a drink from his mug before he begins speaking in a deep and solemn tone. "Jaune, I know how much of a hero Xenith is to you. But her role was to act as a soldier, protecting the world from its most threatening dangers, rather than playing hero in an attempt to save everyone. If you do not believe this is the path you wish to adopt, then you can leave her belongings here and continue working towards being a Hunter, acting as if this never happened. This is your last chance to step away. If you accept the job, it will be with you for the rest of your days."

Jaune takes a long look at the clothes and sword in his hand. _I want to be like Master. I admired her for so long, but what if she wasn't what I had imagined?_ His grip tightens on the two objects. _Does that change how heroic her actions were?_ Jaune's eyes rise up to meet Ozpin's, staring at him in an attempt to probe at his sincerity. "Just answer me this: Are we really protecting the world and fighting its evil here?"

Ozpin leans forward and answers with an intensity that Jaune can not help but believe him. "Yes. We are the protectors of this world. And we need your help."

Jaune places the sword on the side of his belt. "Then you have my answer. I will gladly step into the role of 1019."

"Good. First thing to address is your title. The number 1019 is for us to identify you outside of missions. From now on, when you're in the field, you will be called SORD: Special Operative in Remnant's Defense." _Wow, Ozpin loves his acronyms. I wonder how long he spent on that one...and how proud of it he is._ "Second, we have to explain your gear, one of which is the black scroll-" Ozpin is interrupted by a ding indicating the elevator's arrival. Its door opens, revealing a man with graying black spiky hair, red eyes, and a stubble along along his jawline. He wears a red tattered cloak that contrasts the silver-colored sword that he carries diagonally on his back. As the man takes a drink from his flask, Jaune can see several rings adorning his fingers.

 _With that cloak, he kinda reminds me of Ruby._ The resemblance left his mind as soon as the man begins talking. "No need for applause or to stop talking just for me. Just act like I've been here the whole time."

Glynda glares at him, clutching on to her riding crop and bending it in frustration. "You were asked to be here two hours ago. Not only that, you also-"

"Hey, is this the kid that's suppose to replace Xenith?" Qrow walks up to Jaune and ruffles his hair. _Gah! Does this guy not know the meaning of gentle?_ "The kid doesn't look like much. Big shoes to fill and all." He takes another drink from his flask.

"Yes, I am. My name's Jaune Arc. I take it you're Qrow, the person in charge of the next mission?" He extends out a hand.

"It's Qrow Branwen." Scanning the blonde up and down, Qrow shrugs as he ignores the handshake. "I don't see how you're going to replace Xenith, not even if you trained for a hundred years. Then again, I've trusted Ozpin in stranger things. Just gonna need more alcohol for this one." As he finishes his statement, he takes another swig of his drink. _That stings. I want to refute that, but it is true I only beat her once._

Ozpin sighs. "Glynda, if you would."

"Gladly." Activating her semblance, she takes away the flask and lays it in front of Ozpin.

"Hey! How rude!" Seemingly out of nowhere, Qrow pulls out another flask, before it is taken away by Glynda again. The two glare at each other, and as Jaune observes he imagines sparks flying off the two from the tension.

Jaune weakly raises his hand attempting to get everyone's attention. "I probably shouldn't be the one saying this, but can we get back on topic?"

"That is reasonable. Glynda, Qrow, we gather here for a reason. Focus." Ozpin clears his throat before speaking again. "First of all, Jaune. Remain calm as we explain the mission. This subject matter is rather close to you."

Taking a deep breath, he musters as serious of an expression as possible before sitting down to face Ozpin. "Lay it on me." Qrow walks to the back of the room and leans on one of the pillars, observing as his two colleagues explain the situation.

Returning to standing next to Ozpin, Glynda taps on her scroll which activates a hologram that appears over the table. The hologram shows a wide three story building, resembling a fort or a military base. Many red dots litter around it, with the legend indicating them as possible guard locations. At the very bottom, it indicates the name of the building as 'White Fang Base 32: Fort Harty.'

Glynda swipes and spins the hologram, stopping when the main entrance with the most red dots are in front of Jaune. "This is the base we are interested in. From what we have observed before, this base was a simple supplies stockpile, holding what surplus their organization were able to obtain. However, recently activities have spiked. They delivered additional cargo and even more troops onsite. We sent scouts to investigate the reason, believing it to be the Dust that was stolen in the last few weeks. However, what we found was even more surprising."

Ozpin gives a slight nod to Glynda before typing into the table's built-in interface. The hologram switches to dozens of pictures of cages, all holding different species Grimm. "As we know, according to Council Decree 32178, all Grimm experimentation is banned. Not only is it dangerous, but all experimentations done have shown them to be untameable. Which begs the question, what reason would the White Fang have to capture them? This was unanswered until we found someone present at the base." The pictures of the cages were replaced with one of a man in his thirties, wearing a white lab coat. The picture shows him pointing and yelling at White Fang members carrying cargo with his prosthetic robotic right arm. He seems visibly aged, as gray hairs can already be seen in his short black hair. As soon as the picture appears on screen, Jaune scowls as a headache assails him.

Ozpin frowns after seeing Jaune's response. "The man on screen is called Doctor Rable. By your expression, I'm sure you recognize him as the main assistant of Doctor Merlot, who was in charge of Children's Box."

"Yeah, I remember seeing him next to the Doctor...err, Merlot, a lot. I'm not sure what he was in charge of, but I'd remember that face anywhere." Jaune clenches his fist tight enough for his fingernails to draw blood. "So this clue probably means he's…" _I don't really want to finish that thought._

"Yes. After more probing and investigation, we discovered that Rable has managed to uncover some of his old colleagues and invited them to the facility. All of this implies one thing: they are restarting the Children's Box experiment."

Jaune stares at the floor, thoughts racing in his mind. _They were the perpetrators. The ones that killed so many children, and giving me scars that haven't healed. Knowing where they are, I can avenge… No! Master didn't teach me how to fight in order to get vengeance. I will not kill. They will have to atone for their crimes some other way._

His eyes raise to meet Glynda's as she taps his shoulder. "Are you alright? If this is too much, you do not have to participate."

He shakes his head vigorously. "No. In fact, I'm glad. This gives me the chance to face my demons. So what's the mission? Capture him and bring him to justice?"

"Here are the exact details: this Saturday at 1600, you and Qrow are to infiltrate the facility as covertly as possible. After you find Doctor Rable, you will capture and bring him back, with only light injuries that may result from his resistance. Any research that you find along the way will be confiscated as well." Ozpin taps his cane on the floor, staring straight into Jaune's eyes. "Do you understand? He must be brought back unharmed."

"Yes, sir!" He salutes. "I ensure you that I will restrain myself, and bring him back with minimal injuries. But why confiscate the research? Shouldn't we just destroy it?"

"That's why we're the pros, kid." Qrow finally speaks up while he continues to lean on the pillar. "There's no way Rable over here has the audacity to restart the project on his own. Someone's pushing him. Whether that's Merlot, whom we've been hunting, or some other faction in the White Fang, we need to know."

Ozpin hums in agreement. "Exactly. If we cannot interrogate that knowledge out of him, perhaps his research notes can shed some light in that matter. Do you have any other questions?"

"Nope." Jaune gets up from the seat, ready to leave.

"I do." He turns to face the source of the voice as Qrow walks up to him and inspects him once again. "I don't remember signing up to play babysitter. From what I can tell, this kid's a complete amateur. Plus, it seems like he has history with the person we need to capture. Why am I bringing an X-factor like him to this mission?"

Ozpin adjusts his glasses before responding. "He has to start somewhere. What can Jaune do to reassure you?"

"I'm glad you asked." Qrow grins as he approaches the boy, staring him down. "You're going to fight me."

* * *

Jaune can not help but do a little twirl with a girlish giggle as he observes himself in the mirror. The black uniform fits him snuggly; with the wig and Night's End at his side, his reflection is the spitting image of his master. _Sure, our faces are not similar, but everything else fits the bill. And the long sleeves even hides Twilight Bracelet from view._ Grabbing the last piece of the costume, he puts on the opera mask.

Taking a look at the mirror again, he silently comments to himself. "The mask ruins it. The mask doesn't match up the rest of costume AT ALL!" He suppresses the urge to scream in frustration. _Wait. I may have a solution._ Taking off the mask, he calls upon his semblance. _Twilight Bracelet. Griffon Series: Clear Vision._ The familiar golden bracelet materializes around his left wrist. Invoking the ability, Jaune closes his eyes as he feels a bonelike material growing out from around them. A few seconds later, the sickening sense of something foreign germinating out of him stops. Opening his eyes, he sees the Grimm mask has now attached itself to his face. Unlike the metal masks that the White Fang uses, his appears exactly like those of Grimm, with its white bonelike substance and black splotches that scatter throughout as its pattern. The mask covers the upper half of his face, making it difficult to see into his eyes. He does an 180 twirl, looking at the mirror reflecting his back. "Nananana, Batman!" _This mask is way better. Plus, it's more practical than that opera mask._

Finishing up, he walks out of the changing room and to the teacher's training room to see Ozpin, Glynda, and Qrow all waiting for him. The Headmistress smiles as she comments on his appearance. "I'm glad the clothes fit you. It was difficult editing and sewing it for your size. " _Wait, Glynda sewed this? My appreciation for her just raised exponentially._ "Though, I can see that you replaced the mask I picked out for you."

"Thanks, the clothes fits perfectly. As for the mask, the other one broke." _Reminder to destroy the evidence when I get back to the changing room. Can't let them know I changed out the mask because I wanted to look more like Batman._ "This mask is one of my abilities, which allows me see in the dark. You don't think it's inappropriate, right?"

Glynda walks closer to Jaune, closing the gap between their two faces. "You can see properly, correct? It does a fine job of hiding your face, and seeing in the dark is practical as well. I have no objections."

 _Too close!_ He staggers a few steps back, trying to make some distance. "Y-yeah. I'm not exactly sure on the details of the mask, but I can see just fine."

"If you two ladies are done talking about fashion, I want to get this fight started." Qrow pulls out the longsword from behind him, the mechanics of the weapon extending it even longer than Jaune had expected. He takes practice swings with the heavy weapon with ease, whooshing as the weapon slices through the air. "My stubble is going to become a full blown beard if you ladies keep talking."

Jaune takes Night's End out of its sheath, taking a stance with the blade over his shoulder and next to his head. "So what's the passing grade here? Survive for a certain time period? Land a hit on you? Don't break down crying?"

Qrow shrugs. "Dunno. Didn't think that far ahead. Just come at me with everything you got, and I'll tell you how you did after." _Great, so there's no plan for an objective except to try and beat him in a fight._

The two step towards the opposite ends of the combat arena, with Glynda standing offstage in the middle of the two. "I will be the referee for the match. If there is any chance of substantial injuries, I will stop the fight immediately. If there are no questions, then the fight will begin on my mark, when I say go."

Jaune gives a brief glance at Ozpin, who observes the fight with his trademark impassivity. _I'm guessing he's probably judging how I fight. Considering how they haven't seen me go all out, this is as much a test from Qrow as it is from Glynda and Ozpin._ Taking a deep breath, he observes the opponent across from him. Qrow slicks the front of his hair back. _Qrow. By the way I see how he swings that large sword around, he's physically strong. Locking blades with him is a terrible idea. No data on his semblance. Try and force it out as soon as possible so a contingency plan can be made. Finally, he's an experienced Hunter. I doubt I can beat him with skill or experience. The longer the fight goes, the more his experience shines through. Have to make use of every opportunity I can get._

"Are you two ready?" Glynda takes a look at the two, who both nod in agreement.

"Three…" _Taijitu Series: Grimm Infusion. Goliath Series: Reinforcement._ With that evocation, black matter spew forth from his bracelet, covering the skin of his arms and legs.

"Two..." The substance seeps through his pores, some binding itself to his muscles and strengthening them, while the others replacing the joints of his shoulder and elbow. _No matter how many times I do that, it still feels nauseating._

"One…" Taking one last deep breath, he puts his full attention to the opponent in front of him.

"Go!" With that, Jaune dashes toward his opponent, Night's End clutched in his right hand, threatening to cut Qrow down. Qrow stifles a yawn as he sidesteps the strike. _Can't let go of the pressure and initiative!_ The blonde continues to make several swings at him, alternating attacks from different directions, varying strikes from shallow to deep. However, each swing proves ineffective as Qrow continues to dodge, only using his weapon to block his last overhead attack.

 _Haven't determined his semblance yet. Finally got him to use his weapon. In that case…! Nevermore Series: Feathershot!_ Feathers rapidly sprout forth from the side of his left arm, shooting toward Qrow's torso. There is only a slight pause as he's momentarily stunned by the unexpected attack, before he takes a step back and swings his longsword to knock down all projectiles coming his way.

 _There was a definite pause when he didn't expect that attack. That lets me know one thing: he doesn't know about my semblance! I have to use this to my advantage._ Jaune prepares to continue his attack until he sees a grin on Qrow. _Shoot! I lost the initiative!_ The momentary lapse allows Qrow to quickly close the distance, swinging the longsword at an angle towards his left shoulder. Taken back by the speed and the awkward angle, Jaune unwillingly brings up the katana to block the attack. The blades clash with a loud clank, sending vibrations reverberating through the blonde's right arm. _Okay, so let's ignore the part about not locking blades with him. I know Master's Rule #3 guarantees plans never go accordingly, but EVERY. SINGLE. TIME!_ Qrow pushes down, causing Jaune's knees to buckle under the pressure. _Why don't I just TOSS my sword at him at this point?!_

Shifting the angle of his weapon down, Jaune takes a step back as the longsword is pushed off to the side. However, the veteran Huntsman does not allow him to disengage that easily, returning with a horizontal swing. He can only take another step back as the sword cuts through the air centimeters away from his torso. _Not only is my stance broken, but I haven't even seen any openings!_

A few more horizontal slices forces Jaune to the edge of the arena. _Damnit! No more time to think!_ He ducks right before the next attack comes, cutting off strands of hair with how narrowly he dodges. Taking the chance, he uses a sweeping kick to knock his opponent down before rolling away towards the center of the arena.

Qrow easily recovers, and the two stare down each other again. However, Jaune can feel his breathing slowly becoming more ragged by his unrefined movements, while Qrow appears unaffected.

"So that's all you got? You know, Xenith would not only have parried that first attack, but she'd also have given me a swift kick in return." Qrow adjusts his weapon with a click.

 _Calm down. He's just trying to provoke you._ "What does that say about you? Having so much trouble with a Huntsman-in-training?" _Okay, maybe provoking him isn't-_

"So the big boy thinks he can hold his own?" The blade portion of Qrow's weapon shifts upwards, revealing two gun barrels. _SHIT!_ Jaune kicks off the ground to avoid the shot at him, the blast striking close enough to cause his ears to ring. _Guns. Observe how the barrel aims and you can dodge it._ As Qrow's aim changes, Jaune continues to dart along the arena, scarcely avoiding the shot each time. After eluding the sixth shot, he reads the rhythm between each shot. _Nevermore Series: Feathershot!_ Synchronizing with the next gunfire, the razor-sharp feathers fly towards the source. The feathers clog up the barrel as Jaune changes direction to immediately charge towards Qrow. However, the Huntsman looks unfazed, quickly pulling out the feathers and reverting his weapon to sword form.

 _That pause should have given me a slight initiative!_ He launches a barrage of slices and cuts at the Huntsman, putting his empowered strength behind each strike. As Qrow blocks, the sounds of the two metals colliding fill the room in a clamorous cacophony. However, no matter how many attacks Jaune launches at him, each attack is blocked or parried effortlessly, none revealing any openings for him to exploit. _Even with Grimm reinforced strength…!_ Out of desperation, he puts all his power while throwing his weight into a vertical strike, hoping to force something out of his opponent. Once again, the longsword comes up to meet the katana; however, this time the two blades lock, not giving the blonde a chance to easily connect and flow into another attack. Qrow's grins again as his arms glow faintly with Aura. _Shit! That's_ _Aura Reinforcement!_ Sliding back his weapon, he kicks off the ground and jumps back several meters. The longsword hits the floor where he once stood, shattering parts of the stage and spewing forth debris to create a crater.

Jaune takes a deep breathe to evaluate his choices. _As I thought. No matter how many attacks I launch at him, no matter how I read him, there aren't any openings for me to take advantage of. In that case, I just have to…_ "Hey, you told me to go all out. Does that mean anything's fair game?"

Qrow slings the sword over his shoulder as he answers. "Sure. I doubt you're going to beat me with any tricks up your sleeves."

"Good." _Nevermore Series: Feathershot._ The keen-edged feathers spout forth from both his arms. Instead of firing them at his adversary, he takes a terse look upwards at the ceiling before firing each one of the projectiles toward the light fixtures. Without any windows, the training room falls into complete and utter darkness as the feathers destroy each of the light sources.

 _Use every advantage I can get!_ Using the mask, Jaune can see despite the blackout. Unexpectedly, Qrow appears unperturbed as he sprints toward him, the blade he wields eager to cut the boy down. _He's just running towards where I was before. Just step back and let him lose sight out where I can be._ Jaune jumps several steps diagonally back, expecting his opposition to swing at air. However, Qrow alters direction and continues running straight toward him even after he adjusted his direction.

 _What kind of fricking monster is he?! Okay, don't worry about the why, just know that he can definitely still see where I am._ Jaune takes a stance ready to parry the attack as Qrow approaches him. _But whatever he's using, it's definitely not perfect. His movements have dulled and slowed down from before. A chance!_

From his left, the longsword swooshes through the air as it threatens to sever the upper and lower halves of his body. Jaune brings up his left arm to intercept. _Legendary Series: Reinforcement._ Black matter quickly cascade down from his bracelet and covers the entirety of his left arm, instantaneously solidifying as a nylon-like layer on his skin. The weapon cuts through his uniform's long sleeves, stopping in its tracks when it collides with the makeshift armor. The weight behind the weapon pushes him slightly back as Jaune smiles for the first time this entire fight.

Twisting his left arm, the joints changed by Grimm infusion allows him to snake his arm around the weapon, stopping when his hand reaches the hilt. Holding the weapon in place, Jaune activates another one of his abilities. _Goliath Series: Corrosive Spray!_ From the palm of his hand, a dark brown acidic liquid shoots out and begins to corrode the connection between the blade and hilt.

His right hand swings Night's End down while the two are locked. Qrow refuses to let go of his weapon, bringing up his arm to block the blade as it glows with Aura to protect himself. _How predictable!_ The distance between the katana and Qrow's arm rapidly diminish, until only a feather is thin enough to be placed between the two. Right before collision, Jaune lets go of his weapon, continuing his arm's trajectory while curling up his hand in a fist. _Beowolf Series: Hell's Razors!_ Three sharp bone protrusions extend out from between his knuckles, hurtling straight towards his opponent's heart. At the last second, Qrow bends his knees and shifts his body, causing the claws to only make a shallow incision into his shoulder. Following through in his movement, he kicks Jaune right in the abdomen, sending him flying across the arena and landing on his back.

 _Damn! That was so close!_ The blonde gets up, taking a defensive posture as he anticipates his adversary to fly towards him. Qrow insteads tosses Night's End back to him as he stands back up. "Alright kid, fight's over. Looks like you weren't as bad as I first pegged you to be."

Relaxing his muscles, Jaune dematerializes Twilight Bracelet as he picks the katana off the ground. His mask and makeshift defense crumble away at the same time. "Wait, so did I pass?"

"Barely. If you didn't land a strike on me, I would have failed you right there."

 _Whew. Wait, now that the mask is gone, I can't see anything._ He can hear Glynda's voice carry through in the darkness. "Allow me fix the lighting." As she says that, the lights flicker back on, and he can see Glynda and Ozpin both give him an approving nod.

As the two walk off the arena, Qrow gives him the full evaluation. "You're a bit reckless, but you definitely fight with your head. Tried too hard to force openings, but you still think outside the box without being constrained to one fighting strategy. Basically, I know you're probably not going to die on me in a simple stealth mission, so you pass."

Jaune gives a sigh of relief. "I almost started panicking when you used Aura to destroy part of the arena. This fight was exponentially harder since I had to make sure my corruption levels would recover in time for the mission." Qrow gives him a strange look at the mention of corruption. "Oh, that's right. My semblance has another cost called corruption. It recovers over time, but it's not very fast. It's sitting at about 50% right now."

The four of them all recongregate at the side of the arena. Glynda looks him up and down, inspecting him. "You do not appear to- Jaune, does your abilities allow your arm to bend like that?"

"What do you mean?" Glynda points at his left shoulder. Turning his head, he sees the shoulder shifted back an inch and a half. "Oh. Uhh, I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to bend like that. I'm… going to get changed and go to the infirmary. Hopefully before the adrenaline runs out and the pain kicks in."

"I'll assist you." Jaune freezes in his track as Glynda offers his assistance.

"No, it's okay! I can handle this." He flails his right arm wildly as he attempts to dissuade her.

"Jaune, you can't even move your left arm. Any more arguing will only waste time. Let me help you."

Begrudgingly, Jaune walks away as Glynda escorts him to the changing room.

* * *

Jaune walks back toward his room, trying not to move his left arm while his shoulder is in a cast. _Thankfully with Aura, the injury will only take two days to heal, in time for the mission. Unfortunately, the entire time Glynda talked my ear off about how magnificent that opera mask is. Next time, brainiac, think ahead and destroy the evidence!_

Reaching the door, he fumbles around his backpack for the scroll. _Gotta remember to not use the black scroll. 'Encrypted messages' and 'Secrecy' and all that. Actually, with Nora… I'm hiding it in my locked suitcase. I just have a feeling she'll 'stumble' onto it._ Finding the scroll he originally used, he opens to door to see the rest of his team watching for him. "Hey everyone, what's going on?"

The first to respond is Pyrrha, who runs up to him after seeing his cast. "Jaune, what happened? You said you were just going to give Ozpin a status report."

 _Right. Sigh. Gotta tell half-truths again._ "That was the plan. But apparently one of his friends came in, itching for a spar. Since Glynda and Ozpin both were reluctant, this happened." He taps on his cast as he answers.

Nora dashes up to him, sharpie in hand. "Oooo, how did the fight go? Was it against a real Hunter? Did you win? I need details, man!" She literally and figurative shakes the answer out of him.

"Yes. No. None of my attacks worked and blocking one of his attacks dislocated my shoulder. I only got a scratch on him." He holds still to allow Nora to sign her name on his cast. "My injuries should be healed in a few days."

Pyrrha lets out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad your injuries aren't severe. You should get plenty of rest for the rest of the week."

Ren is already next to the stove, apron on. "Yes. I can make up my special herbal blend to speed up your recovery."

Warning bells fire off in Jaune's head. "No thanks, Ren. According to the doctor, I'll heal naturally in two days. Also, I'll be heading out on one of Ozpin's errand on Saturday, so I won't be able to rest fully."

Pyrrha already has a frown on her face before he finished that sentence. "Jaune… "

"Don't worry, it's a simple fetch quest. Ozpin just wants someone trusted to do it, so he sent me. Gotta earn my keep." Jaune looks to see that no one appears convinced at his excuse. "Come on, I fought a veteran Hunter going all out and only dislocated my shoulder. It's going to take like… heavy artillery to take me down."

"Jaune's right." Ren is the first to agree as he walks over with a glass of green bubbling liquid. _I think I can hear the ingredients screaming. Please let that be a figment of my imagination._ "I would be much more reassured if you sped up your recovery. With some bitter medicine." He extends out the glass to the blonde.

 _If that's the cost of reassuring him…_ Jaune nervously gulps as he takes the glass. Closing his eyes, he pours the drink into his mouth, quickly swallowing in hopes that he can avoid tasting it. The goop oozes down his throat with considerable resistance, igniting his esophagus with contact. After he empties the glass, he hands it back to Ren. "Reminds me of Master's cooking. Please don't ever make me drink that again."

Ren shrugs as he walks back and places the empty glass in the sink. "As long as you don't ever suffer any grievous injuries again. Now that I think about, perhaps that will make you stay with the team for an extended amount of time."

Nora starts flexing her muscles as Jaune gives out a rebuttal. "Down, Nora! Don't give her any ideas!" He walks over and collapses into his bed. "That fight took a lot out of me. I'm just going to sleep now if you don't mind."

"That was the plan. We were just waiting for you." Pyrrha flicks the light switch off. "Jaune, as I said before, if you need anything, if there is any chance of us being able to help you, don't be afraid to ask."

Jaune rubs his eyes drowsily. "Don't worry, Pyr. I know. If there is anything-" He lets out a yawn. "You'll be the first to know."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading the chapter. As always, I would appreciate any comments and reviews you would have. I respond to everything!**


	14. Chapter 13: The Storm Pt 2

**Sorry this took so long. Just had some serious writer's block with this one. I don't know about the quality of this chapter compared to the other ones, so please give me your critque. It really helps. Thanks to H** **akumein, Ordon, and masterofbones as always for reading this over!**

* * *

"Hey kid, what took you so long? You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago." Qrow puts away his flask and opens the door to the Bullhead before hopping in. "Chickening out?"

"Absolutely not. Just had trouble leaving with my team fussing over me." Jaune sighs in exasperation as he jumps into the plane after Qrow. "That, and explaining to one of them that 'break a leg' is a figure of speech. She was very adamant about coming with me when she found out there was a possibility of leg breaking involved."

"We're a bit behind schedule, so we're leaving now." Looking a bit annoyed, Qrow knocks on the door to the pilot's room more forceful than necessary. A small screen slides open to reveal an elderly blonde man wearing a large aviation headset. "Jack, let's go."

With a small nod and rigid expression, the senior replies in a deep and serious tone. "Yes, sir. We'll arrive in approximately three hours. I'll inform you when we're close." The screen closes, followed by a soft hum and vibration of the engine as the Bullhead takes flight. Jaune can see the scenery rapidly change through the window, despite not feeling the expected turbulence associated with the speed.

Slouching back into the seat, Qrow takes out a sizable pack of binded papers from his bag and tosses them over to Jaune. "Go into the back room to get changed, then read over and make sure you memorize the layout and patrol patterns of the base."

Jaune's arms buckle under the weight of the papers as he catches them. "Why aren't the safety alarms going off? I'm pretty sure these papers alone exceed the Bullhead's carrying capacity. Couldn't you have given this to me earlier?"

"You think our enemies are always going to give you time to plan and strategize? Better start getting used to last minute information." Qrow gives him a light shove on the back. "Go get changed and stop wasting time."

 _Part of me thinks he just forgot to give this to me until now, but what he says does make some sense..._

Opening the door to the back room, he finds five lockers lined up against the hull. Quickly identifying his, he walks over and punches the passcode "1019" to reveal his outfit. With a spring in his step, he changes out of his school uniform and weapon. _Yup, this is perfect._ Putting on the wig and doing one last check of his equipment, he walks back out to the main area.

Taking a seat, he does a quick scan through the packet of papers. Only the shuffling of papers and the occasional shake of the plane breaks the monotone hum of the engine. Trying to break the awkward atmosphere, he quickly thinks of a conversation topic. "So… what do you do in your spare time?"

Qrow scoffs and spares no pause to give him a stern reply. "Don't be an idiot. Just read the damn dossier."

 _It's not my imagination, right? He seems really harsh on me!_ With a dejected sigh, he looks back at the amalgamation of information in his hands. _Hello, studying, my nemesis. We meet again._

The following hours passes as Jaune concentrates on poring over the information, returning the mood to a tense and uncomfortable ambience. Once in awhile, Qrow would shift in his seat or clear his throat, causing Jaune to jump with frayed nerves only to meet his colleague's disapproving gaze.

Upon finishing the last page, Jaune heaves a sigh of relief. A flash of temptation runs through him before deciding against tossing the papers into the air to rejoice, insteading placing the papers on the floor next to him. Sore from the long period of sitting, he stands and stretches out his arms before meeting Qrow's critical stare. Jaune hastily sits back down, the sour expression on Qrow's face unchanging.

 _That's it, I have to do something to clear the air._ Unable to deal with the pressure, Jaune finally says the thing on his mind. "Umm, sir, with all due respect-" Qrow lets out a grunt of annoyance. "Why do you seem so antagonistic towards me? I don't think I've done anything to make you angry, right?"

"What makes you think I don't like you?" Qrow has an amused expression, crossing his legs and arms to look at him with his full full attention.

"Actually, I have a list." Jaune begins spewing out his answer before Qrow can stop him. "You didn't want me to go on the mission, and fought me just to begrudgingly get your approval. You refused my handshake when we first met. You've shot down every one of my attempts to be friendly. But most of all, you haven't called me by my name once since we've met, and only called me three different kinds of the word 'kid.'" He takes deep breaths after the last statement to recover from speaking without interruption.

"That was a rhetorical question." _Oh. Crap, I just messed up._ Qrow rolls his eyes after seeing Jaune's pained expression. "Look, I don't hate you. But I heard about your initial reason going into Beacon, to make friends, make the most out of your youth and yada yada yada; I think that's a fucking joke for a to-be Huntsman. Plus, I return from my mission and I hear the greatest agent to ever live died and got replaced with a brat that doesn't even remotely understand the importance of his position. And then I have to babysit him. So of course I'm pissed off."

 _When he puts it that way, he actually seems reasonable._ Jaune scratches his cheek in embarrassment at the bluntness of his answer. "I… I don't know what to say to that. But all I know is that I will prove to you that I really am competent. And that Ozpin didn't make the wrong choice."

"I sure as hell hope you do, kid." With a smooth practiced motion, Qrow takes out his trademark flask to take a large chug. "Cause we sure need as many allies as we can get."

Before Jaune can ask him to elaborate, the pilot door screen slides open again. "Sir, we'll be there in three minutes. Prepare for dropoff." Jack gives them a silent salute before closing the screen again.

Jaune gulps nervously as the beginning of the mission ticks closer. "Actually, I have a question. Though I'm realizing this is probably a bad time."

Qrow rolls his eyes before massaging his temple. "Oh God, you're not going to back out at this point, are you? And after that whole…"

Jaune shakes his head in vehement denial. "No, no, no. So, I read through the entire dossier. But… it only had information about Fort Harty. It didn't tell me anything about the plan on how we're getting in. Or out."

With that, Qrow flashes him the first grin he's seen all day. "Oh. Didn't I tell you? We're just going to wing it."

"How in the what now?" Jaune grabs on the side of the plane, trying not to suffer vertigo from the sudden shock.

"Huh. Didn't tell you that either, huh? Don't worry, there's a reason why Ozpin sends me on missions like these. My semblance will handle everything." Taking one last swig, Qrow returns the flask to his pockets.

Unable to hide his frustration anymore, Jaune yells out. "I don't know what your semblance is! That doesn't make me feel any better!"

"Well, here's another lesson for you, squirt." Qrow opens the door to the Bullhead, causing air to violently rush in. The grin grows as he yells out to him. "You have to learn how to adapt! That's how you stay alive in this business!"

Jaune grabs onto the handle next to the open door to stabilize himself from the gust. Looking down, he sees a large dense forest but no sign of any landing spot. "Why did you open the door?! We haven't even landed yet!"

"Why do you think Ozpin made initiation the way it is?" The realization strikes Jaune right as Qrow finishes answering. Before he can object, Qrow kicks and forcibly ejects him off the Bullhead. "LANDING! STRATEGY!"

 _Damn it, is this a common trait of people around Ozpin? Is there so much fun in launching people before they can respond?!_ Seeing Qrow jump after him, Jaune swiftly corrects his orientation so he's facing downwards. Taking a deep breath, he puts himself in the combat mentality needed for the mission. _Twilight Bracelet. Griffon Series: Clear Vision._

The gnawing sensation around his face lets him know his semblance is working. As the sensation fades away, his vision in the night improves until he can see the entire forest in its clarity. Looking for the largest tree, he attempts to angle himself towards it. _Taijitu Series: Grimm Infusion. Goliath Series: Reinforcement._ As the tree approaches his vision, the black liquid comes forth from his bracelet and seeps into his arms, strengthening his muscles and joints.

 _Now!_ Right before impacting directly into the tree, he extends his arm out to grab onto the branch. A loud snap crackles as the excessive force threatens to fracture it. _Don't break yet!_ Using the centripetal force, he redirects most of his momentum sideways before the branch snaps. He can feel the excessive force threatening to tear his arm apart as he swings from branch after branch, until the momentum runs out, where he then lands with a roll.

 _Well, my arms' going to be sore tomorrow._ Taking out his weapon, he scans around him for any Grimm that may have been attracted to the disturbance. Controlling his breathing, he strains his ears to hear a slight rustle coming from one of the shrubberies. Taking a stance, he prepares to leap at and attack the hostile once it emerges.

"What are you, a monkey? Couldn't you just have used those feathers you had during our fight?" Qrow comes out, weapon and scroll in hand.

Sensing no other aggressors, Jaune takes a deep breath before sheathing his weapon. "Don't you remember? Ozpin said to separate student-me from agent-me. Since that's my student semblance, I can't exactly use that here, can I?"

"Right. Slipped my mind." After pressing a few buttons on the black scroll, Qrow drops a small pill-like device and buries it in the ground. "This will be our evac point. Jack's going to come back here in four hours, and if we call for him he can be here in fifteen minutes. Your scroll should have his number and this place marked."

Taking out his scroll, Jaune opens up the map to see an evacuation and point of interest marked. Looking at the legend, he makes a mental note of the distance and general direction of the two. "Got it. So are you going to explain the plan outside of 'winging it?'" Jaune emphasizes the phrase is if it were poison on his tongue.

"Right." Qrow starts walking as he gives his explanation. "My semblance is two-fold. One allows me to know how many 'eyes' are around a small radius around me at any time. So I know there's two sets of eyes here, and about four sets a short distance over there." He points at an angle behind them. "I use the term 'eyes' very liberally, since it applies basically to anything to purposely makes an image."

The gears spin around in Jaune's head. "So does that mean it includes… cameras? Which would make sense that Ozpin sends you on infiltration missions."

"Well what do you know, you are a smart one." Qrow's sarcasm does not go unnoticed by Jaune. "The second part is something you've already experienced. It allows me to literally see things from another perspective."

"I've experienced…?" _The only time I could think of is..._ "Oh, our fight! I was wondering how you moved like you could see in the dark. I guess that explains it." _Though I didn't even get any feeling of that… so I guess the target themselves don't even notice?_

"Good job. You want a pat on the head or something?" Despite the two's casual conversation, Qrow continues leading and navigating them around dangers. _From the footprints, scratches and damage to the nearby trees, he's making sure to avoid any Grimm nests or territory. He may give out the image of a useless old man, but his skills are no joke._

"You know, a pat on the head doesn't sound too bad, considering-" Jaune reflexively moves his hand in front of his face to catch the thrown object. _It's an... earpiece?_

Qrow puts on the same exact earpiece over his ear. "From here on out, use that to communicate. We don't know who's listening, and we might get separated. Better safe than sorry." Qrow pulls out his longsword from behind him, the interlocking gears extending it to its full range. "From here on out, stay serious. This is where the mission starts."

"I want to ask one last question before we do." Jaune takes Qrow's grunt of annoyance as cue to continue. "Can you warn me before you push me off anything next time? I'm getting some heavy flashbacks to Master's uhh… 'teaching' methods."

Qrow looks at Jaune's slightly panicked expression and chuckle to himself. "Can't promise jack. Everyone goes through the process."

 _Oh no. He has the glint in his eyes too! I thought it was only Master, but apparently it's a spreadable trait! Oh God, does everyone that hang out with Master end up picking up her lack of common sense?!_ As Jaune panics and screams internally, fearing how much of it spread to him, the two silently continue their journey to Fort Harty.

* * *

The rest of the journey toward their objective was relatively uneventful. Being able to evade most of the Grimm, they were only forced to face small packs of Beowolves and Ursa Minors.

 _Being able to see his swordsmanship makes me realize just what being a veteran Huntsman means. There's a certain finesse to it. When will I hit that level?_

Despite the mood being more amiable after the two's conversation, Jaune still feels uncomfortable with the idea of expressing his thoughts openly. Even as the fort comes into vision, the two has only exchanged a few words after landing.

Qrow extends his hand out and gestures for him to stop. "Something's wrong. My semblance doesn't sense anyone on watch."

Nodding in acknowledge, Jaune crouches down to follow Qrow as they hide within the foliage and sneak closer to the base. When the side gate can be clearly seen, the two find the answer to their inquiry.

White Fang member's bodies lay strewn around the perimeter, some hanging from the fence and watchtower. Several limbs are seen scattered a short distance from each corpse, implying the details of their gruesome death. No surface escape the crimson dye, the color saturating the bodies and the remnants of their uniforms and weapons. The smell of decay permeates in the air, sending familiar goosebumps through his skin.

 _Okay, Jaune. You can do this. We had to eventually see this scene again. Just... bear with it._

Weapons out, Jaune takes a deep breath as he follows Qrow walking towards the closest body. Their eyes dart back and forth to survey the area for any survivors or the culprits. As Qrow inspects the body in closer detail, Jaune keeps watch to ensure the situation is not an elaborate ambush.

"The soldier's armor is caved in. No bullet wounds. Scratch marks and blunt force is the cause of death. It's probably Grimm." Qrow looks at Jaune's face, who returns with a stoic look.

"Should I check the other bodies? It is possible a Grimm attack came for the survivors after some other group's initial assault." Without waiting for an answer, he has already stepped away to the next closest corpse.

Qrow clears his throat, putting his hand up to hide his mild surprise. "Uhh, yeah. You do that. Just… be careful if there's any Grimm remaining."

Nodding in acknowledgement, he looks at the body next to him. _Let's see… Large claw marks runs over his face._ He takes off the torn clothing to investigate the torso. _As suspected, there's scratch wounds all over. But that's strange. The scratches appear a lot more on his back._ Finally, he examines the last open wound. _His leg… It wasn't a clean cut. It looked like it was torn off._ Proving his suspicions, Jaune returns the clothing and whispers a silent prayer before moving on to the next carcass.

After ten minutes elapse in examining the bodies, Jaune lightly jogs back to the front of the gate to reconvene with Qrow. Seeing him approach, Qrow speaks up. "So, did you find out anything?"

"Kind of. All of the wounds seem to come from Grimm, so we can rule out any other possible perpetrator. But there's two details that bothered me. They have a lot more wounds on their backs, and…" Jaune points to the bodies that hang over the fence. "Their heads are facing outward, as if they were trying to escape from the base rather than backing into the building."

Qrow nods in agreement. "Plus, the Grimm should be a lot more active on our way here if there was a Grimm attack." He grimaces as he taps on his earpiece. "Crow to Witch, situation's changed. We think the Grimm in captivity broke out, and it looks up they took out most of the guards. Should we change up the objectives?"

 _Wait, so Glynda's going to be listening to our conversation? Ugh… I have a premonition that she might give me a report card after the mission's over..._

A few seconds pass before a female voice respond through Jaune's earpiece. "Negative. Prioritize the target. Investigation is a secondary objective. We're sending over a cleanup team now."

 _Cleanup…? She's… referring to the Grimm, right?_ Qrow responds before Jaune is able to clear his doubts. "Roger." Qrow pushes his hair back before he taps on his earpiece. "You heard the woman. Let's go."

"Yeah." Walking over the ruined door, the two step into the base.

* * *

Walking through the hallways, the rotting stench intensifies, dominating all other senses. Trying to prevent the smell from invading further, Jaune shuts his mouth as tightly as possible.

"Damn." Qrow jumps off the wall to destroy another camera. "The Grimm seem too methodical with this one. They made sure to not give them any chance of organized resistance. I have an inkling about what caused this, but I hope I'm wrong."

Jaune can only muster up a melancholic nod as his response. Progressing through the hallways, hundreds of bodies were found scattered around, with their blood and organs being the only blemish on the white walls. Checking their bodies, they find evidence that most were killed without resistance, without any traces of weapons or signs of struggle. With a heavy heart, Jaune gives a silent prayer for each one.

 _That's right, this base was supposed to only be a storage facility. I doubt many of them were properly trained or even armed, let alone have combat experience._

Weaving through the hallways, Jaune tries to piece together their movements with his mental map. "We're heading to the lab, right? If _he_ survived, he probably did so by holing himself up when the attack happened."

"Actually, I was planning to visit the security room first." _Ugh. Looks like my sense of direction inside buildings is still terrible._ Qrow postures to turn right, but switches direction at the last moment. "But now that you mentioned it, I'm pretty sure the lab has access to the cameras too. We can hit two birds with one stone if we check there first."

 _Whew. That worked out a lot better than I expected. I'm glad we have so much information on hand._ Jaune's footsteps slow down for a second as a question pops into his mind. _Wait… How did we get access to so much information anyway?_ "Qrow, how do we know so much about this base? It doesn't seem like this information is easily accessible."

A second elapses before Qrow replies in a somber tone. "We have an undercover agent at the base."

Jaune stops. "Wait, like right now? Why aren't we going to rescue them? Or at least contact them?"

Sensing his halted movements, Qrow stops and turns to face him. The icy stare he gives only reinforces the weight of his response. "We might blow her cover that way; and, that's not this mission's objective."

"No. No way." The indignation seeps through Jaune's voice, cracking as his emotions get the better of him. "Just because someone didn't tell us to save them, we can't just leave them to be k-"

Qrow cuts him off before he can finish that thought. "That's not what I'm saying. But we're acting as agents, and we have to prioritize what we came for. We can help her after. Besides, the easiest way to get her whereabouts is probably by looking through the footage."

After a few seconds, Jaune grits his teeth in vexation, and starts running alongside Qrow. "Fine. Let's stop wasting time."

As Qrow breaks into a run, he mutters underneath his breath. "Of all the damned things to inherit from Xenith…"

The hallways pass by in a blur, with Qrow destroying every camera they come across. Understanding that time is now a luxury, they can no longer stop and check every body they see. However, the lack of encounters with Grimm puts an unpleasant expression on both of them.

"Something's wrong. We should have encountered at least one or two stray Grimm. But even with all these corpses, we haven't seen any." Qrow sighs as he stops in front of a large sliding security steel door. A placard above the pin panel is labeled with a felt pen as 'Laboratory.' "I think I know what happened. I'm really hoping the survivors inside can prove me wrong." After taking a drink, he swings his sword with Aura reinforced strength to destroy the door.

 _The room is cleaner than I expected. I thought it was going to be just as bloody as the hallways._ The only things to indicate the room as a laboratory are the few surgical tables and computers littered around the room. In the very back of the room is a large console, with nine different monitors that all seem to be analyzing data.

A collection of humans and Faunus dress in lab coats huddle in the corner, looking at them with eyes of dread. The one closest to them has a rifle, aiming at them with shaking hands. Upon seeing the Grimm mask on Jaune, the tension drains from their body, all of them showing signs of relief.

The man with the gun puts his weapon down and runs up to them. "Thank God. My name's Frank, one of the researchers here. Have you killed all the Grimm? Can we finally leave?"

Qrow stops him before he gets too close. "We're Huntsmen. We just got here, so why don't you fill us in what happened?"

Upon hearing the word 'Huntsmen,' all of the researchers burst into tears, some hugging each other tightly. They all share the same sentiments, echoing "We can finally go home," "I can see my kids again!" and "we can finally leave!"

After awhile, the commotion settles down and they begin explaining what happened. All the scientists were forced to come to the facility by Doctor Rable, threatening them with their families as hostages. One of the key research projects is a new drug designed as a sedative for Grimm. It appeared be effective, with the Grimm becoming more lethargic after the drug is applied. However, earlier today the Grimm all seem to break out of their reverie, all revolting at the same time. Breaking through their thinned guards and defenses, they systematically killed the soldiers before moving to the noncombatants.

 _Wait… But this doesn't add up._ Qrow speaks up before Jaune can voice his concerns. "Don't give me bullshit. What's the full story?" Surprised by his directness, no one could maintain eye contact. "How the hell are you still alive?"

The researcher clears his throat, before mustering his courage to reply. "Luck, of cour-."

Qrow steps forward, weapon ready with eyes burning ire. "Don't. Bullshit. Me."

Scared by the hostility in his voice, Frank steps back. Unable to face Qrow's serious attitude, he finally sobs out an answer. "Look, we didn't want to do it! Rable forced us to do it! We wanted to save the kids too!"

"Do what?" As Qrow asks, the clues start clicking into place for Jaune. _Kids? The Grimm aren't split, meaning they were attracted to the intense emotions of..._

Frank looks down, terrified of articulating his answer. He whispers with lips quivering. "-ait."

Jaune's blood goes ice cold as the answer confirms his suspicion. His grip on his weapon tightens to the point of being painful as he takes steps toward the man. The bloodlust emanating from him pressures everyone to take a step back. _If t hat's the truth, he deserves to…_ Ringing through his head. "You used the children as bait?" Despite sounding calm, the fury hidden in his voice resonate through the silent room, as no one dared to confirm. _**Eliminate.**_

"-ord. Agent Sword!" Before Jaune steps close enough to cut the man, Qrow grabs onto his shoulder to stop his progress. "Rable's the target. Don't forget what you promised Ozpin."

 _Damn it. That's right._ He tries to shake out the headache and ringing before asking. "Tell us everything. Like where Rable is."

Fear of angering them again, Frank blubbers out the rest of the story. Rable had kidnapped some children to continue some of the Child's Box experiments. Before he can find a chance to do so, the Grimm breakout occurred. Some of the White Fang members that survived regrouped, grabbing some weapons from the armory to defend themselves. Using the intercom system, Rable instructed the survivors to rescue the kids and hole out near the armoury, forcing the other scientists to echo his order.

"From what we last saw, the White Fang members did what they were ordered to. The kids, not being able to control their strong negative emotions, attracted the remaining Grimm." Finishing his explanation, Frank's eyes dart between the two of them and the door. "Can we please get out of here before they come?"

 _They didn't have to listen to that order… But they probably couldn't just leave them there…_ Anger unabated, Jaune finally notices the stinging pain coming from the palm of his left hand. Looking at it, he notices his fist tighten enough for his fingertips to draw blood. _Calm down. According to his story, they can still be saved._ "So where's Rable now? I don't see him among you."

Frank points to a door near the back of the room. "That's his office. Since the attack, he hasn't left and no one dared to check for him."

Qrow walks up to the console. "Okay, here's what's happening. Frank, help me download the research data and delete everything else. Agent Sword, go knock out Rable and bring him out here. I doubt he's going to be as compliant as everyone else have been."

Jaune nods, walking to the door. He takes a deep breath and brace himself to respond to any danger before turning the knob.

As soon as the door opens, a flash of muzzle flash prompts him to leap to the right. With one step, he close the gap and cuts the gun in half cleanly before placing the blade at the man's throat.

 _Rable._ The man looks exactly as Jaune remembers. Aside from his gray hairs, the man has not changed his attitude, keeping the same condescending look. Even when faced with the threat of death, the man looks defiant, staring at Jaune as if he were an inconsequential threat.

"Rable." Jaune could not hide the hatred and enmity escaping in his tone. _Hands, stop shaking!_ "We're taking you in custody. Resistance will be met with death."

Rable flashes him a grin and an unsettling smile that gives him flashbacks to his nightmares. "Oh please, spare me that pointless drivel. You're not going to kill me. I'm much too valuable." Faced with such composure, Jaune can not help but be perturbed. "You don't even have the conviction to kill me."

 _What?_ The remark reverberates through him. _How does he-?_ Without warning, the man grabs the keen edge of the blade, flinging it away. _Beowolf Series: Hell's Razors!_ Jaune swings his left arm towards Rable's face as claws begin to grow out of it. Rable simply responds by tipping his chair backwards and backflipping away.

"I knew you smelled familiar. Those claws only confirm it." Rable begins stretching out his arms, the sound of gears resounding from his right. He looks neither afraid nor enraged, as his teeth shine from his sadistic smirk. "The smell of tragedy, despair, and fatalism... Where did your conviction to kill your _enemies_ go, Jaune Arc?"

The headache and ringing returns, making it difficult for Jaune to think. With disgust and anger bubbling from his stomach, he launches himself toward his enemy. _His words… I… I have to get him to stop talking!_ Upon getting close, he sends out a forceful kick towards Rable's face. The man calmly catches the kick, grabbing his ankle and flipping the blonde over.

 _I still can…_ Twisting the joints in his ankle, his other leg swings around to slam against his adversary's temple. The scientist releases him while stumbling back, while Jaune instantly recovers and responds with a right punch straight into his face, knocking him back.

Seeing Rable not getting back up, Jaune goes and picks up his sword again. Quickly scanning between the sword and Rable's body, he contemplates killing him while the scientist is still unconscious. Holding the sword over Rable's neck, he looks over at his adversary's face again. Seeing his hands shake hesitantly once more, he sighs as he sheathes the sword.

 _Damn it! I thought I was ready to kill him if he retaliated, but in the end… my will still wavered._ Biting his lips in frustration, he confirms Rable's unconsciousness before picking up the scientist's body and carrying him back to the research room.

Without even looking at him, Qrow issues out a command. "Agent, come over here. Frank, we're done here. Go get everyone else ready and calmed down before we leave." The researcher walks away from the console, knowing their conversation is not meant for him to hear.

Jaune drops Rable onto the ground as the examines the computer screens. "Did you find out where the undercover agent went? And maybe shine a light on how the Grimm broke out?"

The screen in front of Jaune changes to a fisheye lens view of a few dozen White Fang members barricading themselves in, shooting down Grimm as they charge themselves down the narrow corridor. Though the details are hard to discern, Jaune can see the signs of fatigue and mental stress affecting their aim, as many of their shots are hitting nonvitals. Behind them, a large group of children can be seen clustered together, blocking out their ears as more gunfire blare out.

"Have you heard of the Legendary Grimm Levitus?" Qrow pulls out his scroll attached to the console, causing each of the screens to go black. "Apparently the White Fang was stupid enough to capture one and bring it back."

Jaune resists the urge to facepalm. "You mean the one that can split itself into parasites that burrows itself to other species of Grimm, strengthening, communicating, and controlling them like a trained animal pack? _That one?_ "

"Yup. Explains our debacle here, how everything seems too coordinated." Qrow dusts his hands together. "Well, that's all our objectives. Let's go."

Jaune nods along. "Yup, let's go."

Qrow dials a number on his scroll. "Yo, Jack, we're ready for evac. The threat's gone, so you can come out in front of the base in fifteen."

Jaune freezes in his steps. "Wait, wait, wait. What about those White Fang members we just saw there? And the undercover agent? You know, people we can _save_?"

Picking up Rable, Qrow gives Jaune the coldest stare he has seen all day. "So you wanna play hero? Sorry, kid, but that's not in the job description. We didn't come here to save those kids, or the White Fang. We came here for the Doc, the data, and to find out what happened." Qrow gazes down at him, eyes and conviction unwavering. "Or are you saying the two of us fight off enough Grimm to take out this entire base, while defending the scientists, to save people that would have died or will die for their crimes anyway?"

Jaune can only avert his eyes from Qrow's piercing gaze. _Conviction…_ The words from Rable echo in his head. As his doubts grow, he can only remember his memory of Master saving him. _I can't help but see myself in those kids._

"Decided? Alright then, let's-"

"No." Jaune stares straight at Qrow, responding with a renewed conviction. "I can't leave them."

"Well, great to know Ozpin was so correct to bring you along this mission. Really proving your worth here."

"I won't betray that trust." Jaune takes a deep breath to calm himself. "I have a compromise. You take the scientists and the data back to Jack as you said. But I'm going there to see if I can slow down the Grimm's advance. Considering we didn't see any Grimm on the way here, I think you can escort them back solo. After that, you can decide if you can join me or not. Maybe those reinforcements Gly-Witch called can help."

The two stare each other down. Despite the tension, Jaune refuses to break eye contact, seeing his own determined reflection in Qrow's red eyes. After what feels like an eternity and half, Qrow sighs as he begins walking towards the exit. "Fine. I have a feeling even if I say no, you're going to do something stupid and reckless anyway."

"Thank you!" After bowing as deeply as he can, Jaune runs off in the direction of the armory. _Sorry, but I guess I'm just impulsive like this. If I don't behave like this, I feel like I'm going to lose myself._ From behind him, Jaune can hear a softened whisper. "Don't die, dumbass."


	15. Chapter 14: The Storm Pt 3

**And I'm back.**

* * *

"Ha… Ha…" Jaune's rhythmic breaths fall in sync with the patter of his steps as he runs toward his destination. Tension high, he grips his sword tighter. Each corpse he runs pass only amplifies his worries as each second matters for the rescue of the White Fang members and the stranded children. _I have to make it there in time._

Turning the corner, a Boarbatusk pops into his vision. Despite the abrupt meeting, the creature still immediately responds by curling itself up to a ball, preparing for an attack. That is, if Jaune had not predict its behavior. Dashing to the Boarbatusk, in one smooth motion he picks it up by the horns and cut open its belly with his katana. With one last death shrill, its guts and intestines leak out and begin to dissolve. Not letting go of the body, he stares at it to verify the researcher's information.

As the last of the body dissolves, a centipede clad in black and small white bones the size of his palm jumps out. Attempting to get away, it only slithers a few inches away before Jaune crushes it underfoot with a crunch. _That confirms it. Levitus is here. It's time to face my welcome party._ Straining his ears, he can hear gunshots in the distance echo through the hallway. _And I'm guessing I'm close. Deathstalker Series: Cutting Edge._

The black muck spews forth from his bracelet, the cold and rotten feeling passing through his hands as it moves on to his weapon. After engulfing the blade, the fluid seems to sink and dissolve into the material, giving the weapon a much more sinister shine.

With preparations done, he charges toward the origin of the gunshots.

* * *

Captain Sybil continues her ceaseless fire at the onslaught of Grimm creatures. Her fingertips have long become numb from the countless times she has pulled the trigger. The lengthy battle's fatigue causes her aim to stagger as she struggles to find stable footing in the pool of sweat on the floor. As she shouts out orders instructing for specific squads to resupply and to reposition to more vulnerable positions, her thoughts are dominated by the choices that led her life to this situation.

She joined the White Fang when it was still a nonviolent organization, after the Faunus Rights Revolution felt like it was the first step towards concrete change. Like many others, she believed that by obeying their requests, Faunus and humans can one day stand as equals. And she continued to obey, even when they began militarizing. She continued to obey, when they started arms training. When they offered her rank. When they commanded her to pull the trigger. And, when they ordered her to capture Grimm and children as hostages.

But that did not mean she remained steadfast in her faith. It wavered, with each request slowly melting down her resolve like the finite wax off a flickering candle. And when they finally ordered her to abandon the innocent, to use the children as bait to save _themselves_ , that flame went out, as she can no longer convince herself that the ends justify the means.

So for the first time, she disobeyed. She had lied, telling the squads under her command that they were to act as diversion until reinforcements came. She took the one in a million chance that she could atone by saving her comrades who shared her faith, rather than the more likely ending where only her and a selected few live to bear yet another sin.

 _But look what that's achieved._ She glimpses at their makeshift barricade and her depleted comrades, grimacing at what her choice entails. Each one of them continues to fire, hanging on life by a thread, but there is no hope in their eyes. They follow through with their routine, because they will shortly die if not, but accepting they are only delaying the inevitable.

As she reaches for her last cartridge, a temptation runs through her thoughts to lay down her weapon. To admit her lie, accept her karma, to tell everyone to drop their weapon so they can face a quicker death. _To just give up._

 _It's easier to just end their lives now. To end their pain instantly with a bullet through their head than to suffer as the Grimm rips them into pieces. Rather than seeing their comrades die next to them, knowing they are next, knowing how… how inconsequential our fight has been._

As she takes her last breath, to give in to the allure and to give the final command, she hears a thunderous roar that draws her attention. Looking to the source of the sound, she finds an Ursa Major slumping to the ground, revealing an outsider wearing a Grimm mask and dressed in a cassock.

With flowing black hair, the woman immediately blitzes toward a nearby Beowolf. With a movement terribly precise and cold, she cuts off the arm that threatened to pierce her through, following through with a smooth arc to behead the creature. As the corpse collapses, the creature's blood gushes out, brandishing her and her weapon in a red malevolent aura. Bathing in the demonic appearance, the women nonchalantly continues to strike down her enemies as she stabs down at an oncoming Creep.

The scene was so sudden, so eerily beautiful that Sybil lost herself in the stranger's presence. A cacophony of roars bought her back to her senses, as the countless Ursas and Boarbatusks resume their charge toward her and the newcomer. However, the creatures' screams are like a muffled whisper compare to the howl of defiance at death that clamors from her companions. Picking up the cartridge, she refound her hope at the end of the barrel. She pulls the trigger not because she must, but because she believes that it will be their salvation.

With each shot, she feels a ever growing smolder in her heart, burning away the dreariness and fatigue she has felt. Her allies reciprocate in kind, their expression a stark contrast compared to their eyes sunken in despair a few moments ago. The weapon in her hands that seems so heavy before becomes almost light enough to float on its own. When she takes one terse glance behind her at the children they were protecting, she sees for the first time a weak smile from them. She lets out a sigh of relief as she finds her decision validated.

But the Grimm care little for her ideas of hope or salvation. Even if they and their unforeseen help work together to kill more than enough to avenge all those that have died, the creatures continue to pour in. Before the bodies even disappear fully, another Grimm has taken its place. When their ammunition dwindles down to its last remains, the harbinger of their end crawls forward.

The Deathstalker eclipses over them, its claws scraping out and creating indents into the walls. Blocking off the entire hallway, it restricts their escape, forcing them to face the horror. Stomping and crushing the disintegrating Grimm, it flings off a Faunus body from its stinger, landing it in front of the barricade. The creature's expression remains the same, but its presence alone laughs at their futile resistance, calling for their demise.

An uncomfortable silence fills the air as everyone freezes in terror at the monstrosity, knowing their bullets will do little. All except for one. Their defender races headfirst toward her adversary, katana upraised and a grin plastered on her face.

It was this that reminded Sybil of the legend among the White Fang, of someone they aptly nicknamed "Vale's Akuma." Masquerading as a nun, she is said to be the one to cut down all of Vale's enemies, all with a smile. Destroying countless bases, stopping a myriad of operations, each person that met her only describes her as 'deadly.'

 _If that is the case, then I know what I have to do._ "Lieutenant, get something for me."

* * *

Jaune rolls underneath an incoming swipe from the Ursa, taking a shallow cut into the creature's torso before pivoting around an assaulting Boarbatusk. Without any time to stop or to confirm the kill, he steps in between the space made open by the failed attack, only to face an oncoming Beowolf. Maintaining his momentum, he severs the creature's left arm, pushing through the small breadth of space he created.

Like clockwork, he continues this cycle in order to charge unrelentingly forward, only using his attacks as a means to create the next opening for him to step through. The lone Huntsman pushes through the sea of darkness with his sword lighting the way; he forces his own path forward, the gunfire is his guidance of direction, and its intensity the confirmation.

Finally reaching a Grimm that has its back turn towards him, a quick slice brings the beast down, revealing the scene he has been searching for this entire time. The White Fang soldiers standing behind makeshift barriers of chairs, tables, and cages all look at him in surprise, expressions that all quickly change into relief. He has little time to admire the sight in front of him as he locks eyes with a nearby Beowolf. As the creature begins to bend its body down in preparation to slam into him, Jaune steps into range to cut off its arm, setting it unbalanced as he follows through his slash to behead the beast.

Seeing their fallen comrade, the remaining Grimm roar in unison as they run at him, threatening to swallow him up in the pitch-dark horde. Putting his senses into overdrive and taking a defensive stance, he spares no excess capacity for any idle thoughts as the mass of claws, muscle, and teeth threaten to rip him into pieces.

The battle passes by in a blur. Kicking away and deflecting a rushing Boarbatusk, his muscle memory allows him to narrowly dodge an Ursa attempting to restrain him. One step into the next, his practiced footwork allows him to evade the perpetual number of attacks. However, each movement becomes more and more costly to his stamina as it becomes increasing difficult to dodge.

Following through with his steps, he finds a Beowolf already waiting for him where he finished his stride. With this unexpected behavior, his left arm reaches up to block the claws as his blade barely cuts through the Grimm's stomach. The sudden pain causes him to instinctively step back into an Ursa's grapple.

 _Crap. Levitus is allowing them to adapt!_ Struggling to break free, he sees a group of Boarbatusk all charging up, ready to skewer him. _Goliath Series: Reinforcement!_ The murky liquid flows forth from his bracelet, coating up and dissolving into his arms as he resists with the newly fortified strength. _I have to...!_ He escapes the hold just in time to flip the Ursa into the Boarbatusks' path, causing the two to damage each other.

"Ha… Ha…" _I'm spending way too much energy just trying to dodge. I have to change my strategy._ As the fluid continues to flow down from the bracelet and binding to his arms and legs, he can feel the burn of muscle fatigue fade away. _The skill only inhibits the fatigue. So I have to make use of this while I can._ Shifting his weight, he changes his stance to one that allows him the greatest opportunity to make decisive strikes.

 _An incoming swipe. Left hand block, cut its leg. Pain. Next target. Three Beowolves surrounded. Behead the one that's one step too fast. Claw grazes cheek. Cut. Pain in calf. Stab the Creep. Snap leg back in place._

He lost count of how many he killed. He lost count of many cuts, grazes, and bruises he suffered to get those kills. And he undisputedly lost count of how many times he repeated to himself, _I can do this._

As another Creep dissolves in front of him, he prepares to cut down his next target, only to find himself lacking any adversaries near him. Looking around, he quickly discovers the reason why.

A Deathstalker forces its way through the hallway, its size cause it to scrape against the sides of the wall. Preventing the other Grimm from passing, it approaches Jaune, the creature pinches its pincers threateningly, before flinging an unrecognizable corpse behind him. He does not have to look behind him to guess the reaction from the corpse's comrade-in-arms.

Despite the outrage he should feel from how carelessly and degradingly the corpse was defiled, or the fear he has from facing such an enemy alone, or even the repercussions if he falls, all he can feel… is excitement. A fight with an enemy he barely defeated with a team, his exhaustion at peak, but being able to use his full abilities… _It's a challenge._

Lunging towards the monster, he keeps his focus on the creature's stinger. In the narrow space, the pincers lack room to make full use of its mass and momentum. Baiting out an attack, he finds a timing where both the pincers lose their momentum while swinging back, using that opportunity to jump onto the creature's back. The Deathstalker starts shaking violently, trying to throw him off.

 _No way!_ Stabbing his sword into a small opening in its exoskeleton, he uses it as a lever to maintain his grip, completely sealing off the pincers from reaching him, as well as being out of its line of sight. _Now I just have to worry about the stinger, but it shouldn't even be able to see me._ As the thought passes through his mind, the stinger arches straight toward his head. Dodging through pure reflexes, the stinger scratches the side of his Grimm mask, the force of it nearly enough to throw him off. _What the hell?_

As the stinger lashes out for another attack with unforeseen precision, he scans around to see four Beowolves behind the Grimm, all staring intently at him. _Damn, that's right. Levitus can exchange information remotely, so I can't make that kind of assumption. But in that case…_

The stinger whips toward his head again, as if afraid of allowing him to grab hold of it if it gets any closer. _How predictable!_ Foreseeing the attack, he does the one action the creature has no way of predicting: he leans forward. As the stinger swings over his head, his left arm reaches out, grabbing at his previous location to grip at where the tail and stinger connected.

The creature convulses even more intensely, slamming its pincers and face into the walls in an attempt to get him off. However, with his reinforced strength, Jaune is able to maintain his hold, sealing off all possibility of a counterattack.

 _Goliath Series: Corrosive Spray!_ From his palm, a dark brown solvent permeates, eating away at the skin of the beast. The tail tries to pull back in vain, Jaune's grip too strong for it to break free. As the skin burns away to reveal the flesh, he squeezes even tighter to separate the two parts. The stinger plunges down, cracking the exoskeleton. The tail swings around vigorously, covering him in blood, all the while the monster screams in pain.

To finish executing the creature, he repeatedly stomps on the stinger as if it were a nail; each time the stinger digs deeper, the monster screams louder, helpless as Jaune carves out the creature's demise. As he applies more force, the spinal fluid and blood sprays out like a fountain, causing the scene to look like something from a gore movie. Finally, with a resounding crack, the stinger pierces through its spine; with a cavity through its body, the Deathstalker falls with one last screech.

Removing the blade, he jumps off the corpse, ready to face the remaining Grimm reinforcements, despite the fact he can barely muster enough energy to stand. However, as the Deathstalker's body dissolve, the other creatures look at him, not taking a step forward. In an anticlimactic finish, they all turn around, leaving him in a daze. _What the hell?_

As the legion of Grimm leave, covered in a malefic mist emitted from the corpses of their fallen comrades, Jaune notices one particularly strange Grimm. In the center of the group, the creature resembles an Ursa Major in all ways but one. An extensive flesh nerve extends from its head, holding up an eyeball that perpetually rotates and scrutinizes everything in its vicinity. Looking at his direction, the eyeball grinds to a halt and adheres to him. The pupils dilate as its attention locks onto him; the red blood vessels bulges grotesquely and intensely, made more distinct from the contrast on the white of the eye. Chills run up Jaune's spine, shaking as goosebumps spread and sprout on his skin, as the unconscious desire to run away from the monstrosity's gaze and fixation rises up from within him. As the creature turns around the hallway, it pauses for one last glance at him. With two more eerie blinks, the creature finally withdraws.

 _So that's the form Levitus's body is taking this time? I really hope it didn't learn too much from this encounter. Not to mention, how many Grimm did he gain control of?_

Once the entirety of the Grimm are out of sight, he allows himself to lean on the sword, gasping strenuously to give his body the oxygen it lacks. He can not help but feel proud of himself. _Did you see that? Qrow, I knew I can do it. I can be the hero, just like Master._ As his sense of danger passes, he can feel his muscles loosening up.

 _Wait, why is the floor suddenly so much closer?_ As if there were a delay with his senses, he finds himself planted face first into the floor. A small pain can be felt from his back, but he fails to recall any suffering wound there. Suddenly, he senses someone grabbing his shoulder and flipping him over. Unable to resist, he looks straight at a White Fang member with two fox ears sticking out from the top of her head.

"Thank you for saving us. I understand that this is hardly any way to repay that favor, and for that, I apologize." The woman takes a deep bow. "However, if we were to follow you to return to Vale, we will be turned into the authorities, incarcerated with jail or involuntary servitude. We… cannot do that."

Jaune attempts to open his mouth to protest, but his body fails to respond. Darting his eyes around in an attempt to object, he notices the taser in her grip. _No! If you leave, you won't have a chance to atone! You'll just be a wanted fugitive everywhere! If that's the case, then it's… it's like I didn't save any of you at all._

"Captain, we have to go. Sensors picked up several Vale airships incoming." The woman nods at her subordinate's notification. "I will repay this debt for saving us eventually. But not today." She starts walking away.

Her subordinate looks hesitant to leave, whispering, "Shouldn't we… finish her off? If there aren't any witnesses, then-"

"Are you suggesting we desecrate her good-will by killing the one who saved us?" Despite unable to see her expression through the mask, Jaune can hear the resentment in her voice. "If we do so, we are no better than the ones who forced us into this situation. In addition, to have a human go so far for us…" The woman pauses, finding it difficult to vocalize her thoughts as she looks at Jaune thoughtfully. "No, we will not kill her."

The subordinate fails to come up with a verbal response at her well-reasoned answer, responding with a nod and a simple salute. As the two leave, Jaune sees the remaining White Fang members follow them, some giving him a curious gaze as they pass. One even gives him a slight nod of approval before leaving. At the very back, the group of children follow them, with a kaleidoscope of emotions ranging from fear to relief. _I'm so glad… they're alright. But where are they going to go?_

After they all leave, Jaune still has not regain control and is forced to lie there, staring at the blank white ceiling. _Despite the fact I couldn't bring them in, I can't help but just feel so darn happy!_ The tingly feeling as his Aura works to repair his wounds and fatigue reflects his mood. He struggles to keep his eyes open. _Ah. The kickback is happening. Looks like I pushed myself a bit too hard, huh?_

Before he closes his eyes, he sees Qrow looking over him with a self satisfied grin. "Good job, kiddo. Looks like you barely missed kicking the bucket. How about a drink to celebrate?" The last thing he remembers seeing is Qrow taking a swig from his flask in his typical lackadaisical fashion. And though it could have been his exhaustion or shock from the damage he took, but Qrow's eyes appears much softer than he last remembered.

* * *

Cinder is quite pleased with herself. Since her last operation, she has no longer received any reports of a _particular_ thorn on her side. With a small hum, she continues working on the papers that organized out her next operations and backup plans. Though she usually kept the information on her scroll, the recent tool she was given has left her feeling rather paranoid at the prospect of using electronics.

A knock on the door gives her a bit of a jump. _There should be little reason for someone to visit this late._ "Who is it?"

A monotone voice replies back. "It's Azura, mistress. I have a report from Fort Harty."

Cinder gathers up the papers, putting it within one of her hidden drawers before locking it shut. Walking over, she unlocks the door before sitting down again. "You may enter."

A woman with a hime cut red hair, extending past her shoulders, walks in. Her light blue eyes reflect like a tranquil lake, giving no impression of her interests or emotions. Though her white pouf dress with red and black hem is unkempt, it fails to mask the harsh beauty of her face, nor the cold severity of her demeanor. Without a change in expression, she curtsies in front of the desk before speaking. "The base was invaded by Vale's Akuma, as expected. About fifteen percent of the White Fang stationed there returned to us, but the researchers and Rable were both captured." She hands Cinder a vanilla envelope. "Enclosed are the exact details."

Cinder could not help but let out a sigh of exasperation. "So _she_ lives, as expected. I should have assumed that inflicting that kind of wound would do little but slow her down."

"Mistress, that is the reason I have come to disturb you at this hour." Azura hands her a scroll with a video queued up.

Playing the video, Cinder squints to catch the details on the distorted video. The scene is as she expects, the Huntsman fighting off the horde of Grimm with an obsidian blade. Though the movements are stiffer than she remembers, she does not find anything particular of note.

The video reaches to a part with the Huntsman in an Ursa's hold. Struggling, she has difficulty breaking the grasp until a golden bracelet materializes in her left wrist. There, the video pauses, showing the bracelet shining brightly.

The faintest of smiles escapes from Cinder's lips. "I see. Looks like Ozpin has already found himself a replacement. In fact, it is one we are familiar with." She returns the scroll back to Azura. "Inform Emerald and Mercury we are to return to Vale earlier than planned. Looks like we have a family reunion to attend."

With a nod, Azura reaches out to retrieve her scroll, her own golden bracelet reflecting on the screen. "Yes. I look forward to reuniting with one of my esteemed sisters."

* * *

 **And done! Sorry if the chapter was less humorous than the previous ones, was hard to make it that with this mood. But next arc will be some SoL, so look forward to it! Thanks to Ordon and masterofbones for helping proofreading and commenting on this chapter!**


	16. Chapter 15: Acceptance Pt 1

**Another chapter is up. I would love your feedback, even if it's calling me out on a small mistake. I love hearing the opinions of my readers.**

* * *

A nostalgic scene.

A modest wooden house, surrounded by sakura trees.

A gentle breeze. The pleasant wind brushes the hair covering his eyes to fill his vision with pink, the falling petals reflected in his rose-colored vision.

A familiar face looks down on him. A smile. Her lips open. A soft whisper, meant for him alone.

"Good job."

A soft touch his forehead. His body reflexively relaxes. A gentle stroke across the top of his head.

 _What a weird feeling. I didn't realize just how soothing this head patting thing is. Wait, I'm pretty sure Master never gave out head pats..._ A few blinks later, he realizes how unrealistic the scene is.

 _Ah, I see. So this is a dream._ His eyelids grew heavy. The warm softness of his pillow invites him into being spoiled further. _Then... please let me indulge myself for just a bit longer._

Closing his eyes, the comfortable contact lulls him into a much needed respite.

* * *

Jaune slowly opens his eyes to find himself staring at a pure white ceiling. The ephemeral dream still on his mind, his brain struggles to recollect itself.

"Am I in heaven?" A snort next to him served to ridicule his statement.

"Pfft… If this was heaven, that's the first time I've heard of it." Jaune tilts his head to see Yang sitting next him. "You're in the infirmary. Though I can always actually take you to heaven if you want."

Not wanting to think too deeply about which one of the dual meaning she meant, he distracts himself by looking around the room. He confirms her statement with the IV drip attached to his arm and the faint smell of antiseptic. When he attempts to push himself up, his sore muscles all scream in protest. "How long was I out?"

Noticing his difficulty, Yang gently helps him up, propping a pillow behind him as support. "You got back Sunday morning, and it's Wednesday afternoon. So around three days? How are you feeling?"

"Like I went through a blender." Noticing the fruit basket on the stand next to him, he points toward it. "Can you hand me an apple? My throat's feeling really dry."

"Nope. Patients get to sit still and recuperate. I'll peel it for you." Picking up the apple and fruit knife, she peels the skin in a practiced fashion. The rhythmic sound of the apple skin unraveling gives him some time to piece his thoughts together.

 _Let's see… The mission, then helping the White Fang members, and… oh, that's right, Qrow must have brought me back to the school. Damn, I was out for awhile. But that's weird…_ "I just realized something. Yang, isn't it class time right now? What are you doing here?"

"Pyr-Your team wanted someone to be here when you woke up. Even got permission from the teachers, though we can only have one person here at a time. You're just lucky you got my shift." Cutting the apple into slices, she holds it up to his face. "Say ahh."

Jaune almost falls into her pace, opening his mouth before realizing what she tried to do. He returns with his utmost effort at an intimidating glare. "No. You can treat me like a patient, but there's a line! I know you like your archetype, but even I can get embarrassed from that!"

"There's no one around. Why should you be embarrassed?" Jaune's glare at her intensifies. "Okay, okay. Guess I shouldn't push my luck." She takes a paper napkin and puts the pieces on it before handing it to him.

"Thanks." As he takes a bite into a piece, he notices how perfectly she removed the apple skin. "How did you remove the skin so perfectly?" _Master would just eat the thing whole or shred it. No inbetween._

"I had a lot of practice." Yang's gives a bittersweet smile. "Back when Ruby was first learning how to use a scythe, she would hurt herself a lot. When I visited her, I had to make sure she didn't get sick from just eating cookies."

"That seems so… Ruby." He takes a moment to imagine a smaller Ruby with her already oversized weapon, and stuffing herself with cookies while still on a hospital bed. "Plus, wielding a dangerous weapon with large mass at high speeds… If you're not used to it, it's pretty easy to hurt yourself." He picks up another piece. "Did Aura not heal most of those wounds?"

"She didn't have Aura then." Jaune looks at her blankly. "Right, you didn't get in through combat school. People don't have Aura unlocked for them until after middle school graduation. And even then, you have to pass a cognitive test on your maturity. You know, don't use your powers to hurt innocents, out of anger, the whole shebang."

It takes a few second for him to process this. "Wait, you mean _Cardin_ passed this test?"

"Twist of the century, huh?" Yang takes another apple and starts peeling it, putting the pieces on his napkin. "So, what happened to you? The school didn't tell us anything besides that you got into an accident."

 _Oh crap!_ "Uhhh, I don't know how much I can say. So I have to talk to Ozpin first." Jaune gives a strained smile. "Ah, but I can tell you that it was nothing dangerous, though!"

Yang gives an exasperated sigh at how thinly veiled his excuse was. "Listen, Jaune, the whole reason why- You know what, never mind. I doubt you're going to tell me anything anyway."

"Sorry. I can say I was working with a veteran Huntsman, if that reassures you, but I don't know how much more I can say." Jaune hangs his head apologetically. "I really wish I could."

"It's fine." Yang answers rapidly, but her tone betrays her irritation.

Falling into an uncomfortable silence, he looks for another topic to bring up. "So what happened while I was gone? I hope that nobody got too worried."

"Not much happened, actually. For your team's reaction… I think it's better if you find out yourself." _Oh God. The way she says that worries me._ "As for everyone else… Let's see... Weiss got really worried, and started to make calls before she even heard the diagnostic. She first wanted to move you to a super fancy hospital before settling for that fruit basket."

He struggles to hold back a snicker. "That seems a bit of an overreaction. Then again, that sounds just like her."

"Blake didn't seem to care very much. She just did what she called the "social formalities," bringing the scroll charger and a clean change of clothes for you." Yang pointed to the objects on the side of his bed.

"Ah ha." Jaune scratches his head sheepishly. _Well, considering that she still thinks I'm going to threaten her with her White Fang secret, I'm just glad she didn't take the chance to silence me. Plus she thinks I'm a giant pervert. I'm honestly not sure which reason I'd rather be hated for._ "And Ruby?"

She returns with a strained smile. "She was the one that was in here the most. It got to the point where the teachers even started complaining about her constantly being distracted during class." She stops, pausing for a second to reconsider her statement. "Well, more than usual, at least."

"I know that Ruby tends to be more caring than most people, but she should know that my wounds weren't anything serious, right? It's kind of weird that she would be that distracted."

"You're… you're not that dense, are you?" Once again, Jaune returns with a blank stare, causing Yang to reply with a sigh. "Jaune, you're the first real friend Ruby has. As you know, she has a very energetic and naive disposition. I love that about her. But, at combat school, just standing out with that alone is enough to make you get isolated. Plus, her just being slightly ahead of the curve and having lost our mother… That easily sets you out as a target."

 _I wasn't aware that Ruby had lost her mother. But she doesn't seem like she went through that kind of experience. I guess that makes her stronger than me. My own baggage never seems to stop tripping me up._ "Is there any reason why you didn't help her?"

For the first time, Jaune sees Yang grimace with a dejected expression, the stark contrast allowing him to realize how much this had weighed on her mind. "I did. I went over and beat those bullies into next Sunday, told them to knock it off. But I soon realized how ineffective it was. The moment I turned around, they would get right back at it."

"Didn't you suggest the same solution for Cardin?" Jaune quips.

"Well… I just wanted a reason to knock him down a peg. Plus it would have made me feel better." Yang gives a him a warm smile. "Turns out that wasn't needed. But for Rubes… she needed to figure out something for herself, her own way of dealing with it." Yang clenches her fist as she continues. "I guess she decided on just… accepting it. To smile despite it all."

Taking a few seconds, Yang uses the time to recollect her thoughts and takes his silence as an indicator to keep going. "It's not like she didn't have anyone to talk to. But she couldn't get them involved. You know how good-natured she is. If she was seen anywhere with them, then they might become victims too." She gives a bitter smile. "I wonder which is more cruel, not having any friends, or having to pretend that those you do have aren't?"

Jaune realizes he's been clenching his fist while Yang spoke. Loosening up, he takes a deep breathe to calm himself down. "Kids are so cruel. I wouldn't have done that. I wouldn't have cared about what other have said, and just been her friend anyway."

Another sigh. "And that's the problem. You get her. Well, at least that's what she believes. You two get along, you helped her out several times when she needed it, and you were the first to call her your friend. So even though it hasn't been very long, of course she'd get attached."

Jaune struggles to recall the original topic. "Wait, so that makes sense why she sees me in such a positive light. But as I said, I didn't suffer any grievous wounds. So why would she be so bothered by this?"

"Do you remember how you met her?"

"Yeah. I helped her out against that crook… don't actually remember his name."

She rolls her eyes. "Not the part I'm referring to. I'm talking about how you shielded her from a shot with your body. She probably thinks you got into this whole incident the same way. Remember what I said about her training?" He nods in response. "Well, I wasn't being completely straight when I said that. The biggest reason why she got hurt so much was due to her recklessness. She wanted to throw herself at something to numb the pain of her loss. With how you talk about your master, she probably thought you were doing the same thing. Except, with your secretiveness, it's even worse. And I have to say I agree. The way I see it, you _are_ doing the same thing."

"I see." Jaune takes another piece of the apple, grateful how much concern Yang has shown him. "Wait, if you tell me all of this, then how the hell am I supposed to treat Ruby now? I'm going to see her in a completely different light!"

"Just act like you've always have. You're not bright enough to change your conduct based on that."

"Hey!" The serious atmosphere now gone, Jaune relaxes as he realizes their little genuine heart-to-heart is over. _She's looking out for Ruby. She doesn't want me to do anything reckless that might make Ruby sad._ "You really do care a lot for her. You are a reliable Onee-" He stutters. "older sister."

"Aww, you're just saying that." Yang grabs him in a chokehold while poking at his cheeks. "Actually, I think that's the first time I've ever got that compliment. Most people say I don't really feel like Rube's sister."

"Can't… breathe…" _Why is choking me a thing? Is my expression while this happens that entertaining?!_ As she lets him go, he tries to go for one last jab. "Your treatment of patients leave something to be desired. And the reason why you-" _don't seem like her sister is the difference in proportions and I just realized how suicidal it is to say that._ "Err, why you should be treat me better is because you're an older sister character?" _Good save, Jaune Arc!_ He silently gives himself a mental high-five.

Yang gives him a dubious look, but decides not inquire any further. "I'll keep that in mind." She gets up off the chair and starts stretching. "God, we had a long talk. So yeah. If you do something stupid to make her sad, I'm going to put you into the hospital bed permanently." She picks up an apple piece and pushes it into his mouth. "And you won't get a hot blonde to slice apples for you either."

"Got it." _Onee-chan._ Jaune chews on the piece of the apple, the sweetness quickly spreading throughout his mouth. "Wait, so did you volunteer just so you can talk to me about this?"

"Ah, that's right." Yang scratches her cheek. "The other thing I wanted to do was to apologize ahead of time." She starts walking toward the door.

Realizing she isn't going to elaborate further, he keeps questioning her. "Apologize for what?"

Yang's smile grows more mischievous. "You'll find out."

He fights the urge to rip his hair out in frustration. "That's not an answer! You can't just leave me hanging like that!"

"You mean… leave you Ya-"

"No. I mean, you can't apologize for something without telling the other person what you're apologizing for!" A bit agitated, he rushes through his sentence faster than normal, causing his breathing to become irregular.

She waits for him to catch his breath before answering. "Yanging." Shooting two finger guns at him, she leaves the room before he has a chance to do another rebuttal.

"Typical Yang." As he says this, the realization suddenly hits him. "Oh God, I have to sit in this bed in silent horror figuring out what she did. Damn it, Yang!" He bites into the last piece of apple she cut for him, the sweetness much stronger than what he was used to stomaching. "Damn it, Yang."

Looking for something to do, he scans around the room for his scrolls. He swiftly finds his personal scroll charging on the stand next to him. Picking it up, he reads the two messages he received, both telling him to respond when he's awake. Firing quick responses to Qrow and Pyrrha, he is about to open up the game _Love Across Multiverse_ when there is a soft knock on the door. _Well, that was fast._ "Come in."

The person who walks in is not the person Jaune expected. The well-endowed woman wears a clean white lab coat, making it hard to tell where her long white hair actually ends. Her face is extremely smooth and unblemished, making it difficult to tell her actual age. Her most striking feature is her gray eyes that pierce through him, as if observing and analyzing each one of his body language responses. Despite the cool aloof image she gives, her voice is gentle and has a feeling of natural tenderness to it. "Good afternoon, Jaune. Yang called for me before she left. Do you recognize me?"

 _Umm… She looks really familiar. I feel like I saw her at the commencement speech, with all the other teachers. For some reason, the trip to Forever Falls comes to mind. Oh!_ "I think so. Professor Peach?"

She nods. "Yes. Though, you may call me Doctor Peach while we're here. I was the one who did your checkup." She locks the door behind her.

"Why did you lock the door? Now that I think about it, I'm wearing different clothes too! Were you the one that changed my clothes? Are you a pervert? What are you going to do to me?" Jaune can see her looking at him with question marks over her head. "Sorry. I always wanted to try saying that line at least once. The response wasn't actually as entertaining as I thought." _I guess I have to try it on someone who might actually understands the reference?_

She clears her throat in an attempt to dispel the suddenly awkward atmosphere. "Moving on. The reason why I locked the door is because Ozpin told me about your -ahem- rather unique circumstances. To be more specific, the exact details of your semblance and how it should be kept a secret. While we were treating your wounds, we also ran some basic tests to better define the limits and nature of your semblance."

Jaune's expression lights up. "Ooh. That sounds interesting. So did you figure anything out?"

"Yes, we were able to find out a few things." Taking out the clipboard that was clamped between her arm and body, she starts reading out the diagnostic. "When you activate your semblance, what you are actually doing is converting or adding parts of your body with Grimm counterparts. The 'cost' measured by your bracelet is actually how much conversion has been done to your body."

Jaune quickly realizes that statement seems to contradict something. "Wait a second. But I have an ability that works on my weapon too. How does that work?"

"We would have to observe it to understand the exact mechanism of it. My theory is that it actually makes your weapon alive." She pauses for a second. "Well, as 'alive' as Grimm can be. The other thing we were able to tell is that the cost lowers by the same rate that Aura heals you."

It is easy to see what that observation meant. "Doesn't that imply my semblance is actually hurting me? But that seems kind of… strange."

Peach clicks her pen, hastily writing something on the page of her clipboard. "Not exactly. I have confirmed that the Grimm parts do not damage you." She pauses for a second. "I have a personal theory, though I do not currently have any methods to confirm it. Do you want to hear it?"

"Yes please. I can use it as a reference whenever I find out something new."

"As you know, Aura acts as a healing factor. One aspect of that is to expel and repel foreign or dangerous aspects from the body. That is why Huntsmen have quicker recovery rates on disease and sickness and find it more difficult to be intoxicated. We have also observed that retired Huntsman are less susceptible to cancer due to… Sorry, I'm getting off-topic. My theory is that your Aura identifies your semblance in the same way, that your body is a human body with Grimm parts." She scribbles more notes down on her clipboard. "As your body expels it, the substance becomes like those of Grimm corpses, quickly dissolving away. The danger is in exceeding how much your body can expel. Just as Aura can not save you from a fatal wound or regrow limbs, it is possible that your body will not be able to fully pull you back when you push over the limit. Instead of 'human creature with foreign Grimm components,' you will become a 'Grimm creature with human components.'"

The thought of that happening sends him into a nervous sweat. "I figured it was something like that. It's a good thing I never got close enough to test that theory. I'll use my semblance with care."

She gives him a tender smile. "Good. Now, as for your actual injuries, they have all been healed. Outside of some minor symptoms of exhaustion and overwork, you're free to leave today."

"Okay, then I want to leave as soon as possible. Apparently I've been a big source of concern for my team. I want to show my face and reassure them I'm alright." _Oh God, what are they going to say? They hit the nail on the head on how they foresaw this going. I guess I just have to hope that Nora doesn't bring out the rope again._

"I'll go and file your leave forms. Oh, and one more thing." She lowers her clipboard to give him her full attention. "Please excuse me if I'm intruding too much, but during the checkup, I noticed a multitude of scars on your body. Those scars arise from wounds not being treated properly. I may not have been told your history, but it is easy to see those come some form of abuse or neglect. Though I understand it will not remove your memory of it, if you do not wish to see the scars of those experiences, I can introduce a surgeon to you that is very skillful in removing those blemishes."

Jaune's reaction to her offer catches her by surprise. With a genuine and pure smile that seems to radiate color back into the white room, he responds with absolute certainty in his voice. "No, thank you. To me, these scars are war wounds." His hand goes over the scar on his shoulder. "They're a part of me, and instead of reminding me of those times, they're proud symbols of the fight I endeavored for this sense of normalcy I have."

His positivity shining too bright to look at, she looks toward the door. "Right. Then if you ever change your mind." As she begins to walk away, Jaune notices a dangerous glint in her eye. One he is much too used to. The same one he saw from Master, Ozpin, and Yang. The one that will absolutely, undoubtedly, and undeniably leave him in a horrifying situation. But it quickly disappears, making him doubt he saw it at all. "I will ask for you to come in for regular checkups, but other than that, that is all I wanted to talk to you about today." She leaves the room.

 _Everyone is so nice here. But there's just one thing that bothers me… Does no one have a sense of privacy?! Ozpin just tells Professor Peach this without telling me, Yang just reveals a bunch of stuff about Ruby! Maybe the common sense is different here…_

Getting up and begin preparing to leave, he grabs the bag with the clean change of clothes _._ As he takes off the hospital gown and begins changing, the door swings open. _Oh crap, that's right, the door's unlocked now!_ As Qrow walks in, Jaune realizes what a perfect setup this is and holds his hands over his chest. "Walking in without knocking, are you a pervert?"

Qrow stands still like a deer in headlights. After an agonizingly long 4.8 seconds, he takes out the flask in his pockets in slow motion, drinking it all before throwing the flask at him. With a yelp, he narrowly dodges it before it arcs over his head and onto the bed. "Are you an idiot? You're not a girl, and this is not a dating sim. Get dressed. Ozpin wants to talk to you."

Jaune's jaw almost drop to the floor. "Wait, you understood that reference?"

"My side gig's a teacher. I've confiscated my fair share of games from students." He tries to take another drink until he realizes it's still on the bed. Walking over to retrieve it, Qrow's typical annoyed expression seems to be worse than usual. "Stupid horny teenagers with no time to have a relationship. Now hurry up. I don't want Glynda to yell at me again. Or take away my teacher drinking privileges again."

"Kayyyyy." Slightly happy that he found a kindred soul, he adds a little hop in his movements as he gets changed to meet Ozpin.

* * *

For the first time since Jaune arrived at Beacon, the hallways were devoid of students. Due to the fact that everyone else is still attending class, the already large hallways dwarf him in size, making him feel inconsequential. However, after recalling the events of the weekend, that feeling rapidly goes away.

"So any idea on what Ozpin wanted to talk about?" Jaune picks up his pace in order to walk side by side with Qrow.

Noticing the boy struggling to keep up, Qrow slows down his pace to match. "Well, it's pretty obvious. It's probably for going against orders, endangering yourself and risking the success of the mission."

"Ah. I was really hoping it was for something else." _Now that I think about it, I did something outrageous, huh? Gah, I really did it in the heat of the moment!_ He resists the urge to bash his head on the wall for his rashness. "Oh, that's right! What happened with the survivors?"

"That's one of the things we're going to find out. He didn't want to do two explanations, so that's why we're going together. Plus, apparently you get lost easily?" Qrow shoots him a glance. "Seriously, how much of a kid are you?"

"Hey, it's only because buildings are hard!" The little jab does little to distract him as Jaune looks down disheartened. _What if they ended up still killed by the Grimm? Or if the kids just continue to be hostages? But if I didn't do anything, then could I even have asked this question?_ With the uncertainty, his emotions swirl in a pool in a clouded mess, regret and sense of achievement clashing for superiority. Unable to find an answer by himself, he decides to ask Qrow for his opinion. "Did you think I messed up by disobeying?"

"Absolutely. Disobeying orders is the number one reason why a mission fails, and one of the most probable reasons for a Huntsman's death." With his confident answer, Jaune's shoulder slumps crestfallen. Whether Qrow notices this or not, he continues his answer. "At least that's what Qrow the Huntsman would say. That guy has followed Ozpin so far, and he hasn't been led astray. If you're asking me without that status, then I would have to say… I honestly don't know."

Jaune voices out his immediate thought. "That's a strange answer. Wouldn't you have decided that viewpoint before or while you've been working as a Huntsman?

"Not everything's black and white, Jaune." Qrow's hands reaches for his pockets before realizing there's nothing to grab. He lets out a sigh. "I've seen both sides. Someone who obeyed an order and died for no good reason. And someone who constantly disobeyed and makes good happen regularly." His feet stop moving as he closes his eyes, as if he were trying to recall and focus on a distant memory, pulling out every detail and emotion he associated with it. "Both are dead now, so I couldn't even ask them."

Jaune can tell from how he said it that those two people probably meant a lot to him. "I see, so it's hard to reach an answer, even with your experience…"

Qrow takes a look at his scroll before beginning again to walk at a brisk pace. "What I will tell you is something I know for certain: that you have to be strong to make either decision. Strong enough to accept that obeying might mean walking to your death, or strong enough to accept that disobeying means you live with the consequences. The two just require different types of strength is all."

"That's… difficult. Which one did-" _I was about to ask about Master's choice. To almost forget Rule #6... As she said, the world doesn't need two Xenith Versailles. I may want to be like her, but there's no way I can be her. If I had to make that choice again…_

 _If I had to make that choice again…_

A series of scenes flash through his mind.

His and her collective experiences-

Being saved-

Being the savior-

Ignoring the cries for help-

Accepting the cries for help-

 _I'm not smart enough to decide on an absolutely correct decision. So I can only listen and follow my emotions as they dictate. If that's the case-_

"The answer was obvious." Jaune whispers and affirms to no one but himself.

Without him noticing, the two arrives in front of Beacon Tower. The light at the top seems to glow more radiantly. Or perhaps he sees the light in a brighter frame of mind. _Either way-_ The door to the tower opens. _Rule #4: Time to charge straight ahead. The world will push me where I need to go._

As he steps in confidently, he fails to notice Qrow's somber expression and whisper. "Yeah. I really wish I had the same strength as the two of you."

* * *

 **And it's done! Whew, the end got a bit heavy, huh? How will this all play out? I... know?**

 **Thanks to Ordon and masterofbones for helping proofreading/commenting! Ah, this edit was particularly brutal... I must improving my writing! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this!**


	17. Chapter 16: Acceptance Pt 2

**Umu. Mithos here with another chapter. I just got lazy and took awhile to get to this one... Hopefully everyone following is still reading. Leave a comment to reassure me?**

 **As always, thanks to masterofbones and Ordon to reading through and giving their comments. Go check out Ordon's stuff!**

* * *

Much like the first time Jaune came to the tower, a sense of trepidation sweeps over him as the elevator brings him closer to his confrontation with Ozpin. _I arrived at my answer, but I feel like Ozpin wouldn't… no, he probably can't accept it. So I have to find a way to convince him._ He recalls the emotions and conviction that caused him run off during the mission in the first place. _That's right, I made my choice then as well. Given another chance... I would still have made the same choice._

A soft _ding_ informs Jaune and Qrow that they have arrived at the top of the tower. The elevator door slides open, revealing Ozpin sitting behind his desk, with Glynda standing a few feet away next to him. The tie around his neck suddenly feels more constricting; as he struggles to adjust the knot, he notices his heartbeat pounding all the more intensely. The thoughts of all the possible punishments only quickens his pulse. Taking a deep breath, he attempts to suppress his hesitation and dread for the upcoming meeting.

Taking a look at their expressions, Jaune tries to glean any insight into their viewpoint. However, the two both hold their poker face, doing little to calm down the intense spiral of nauseating emotions swirling within him. As he reaches the front of the desk, which appears much larger compared to his previous visit, Glynda gestures for him to sit down. "Good afternoon, Jaune. How are your injuries?"

"I've recovered, thank you for your concern." Reflexively, he reaches for the scar over his shoulder before stopping himself and putting his hand down. "They weren't that bad, anyway. All's well that ends well, right?" Mustering his nonexistent performance skills, he endeavors to give his best smile in an attempt to convince them, taking the seat as Qrow leans against one of the pillars.

Ozpin looks over him briefly to affirm his statement. "That's reassuring to hear. This means we can immediately begin discussing the reason that you were called in. As you may have expected, we must discuss the aftermath of the mission."

The mention of the mission gives him a bit of a jump, but Jaune hurriedly readjusts himself in his seat before replying. "Lay it on me."

Glynda begins by handing him a stack of papers held in a file envelope. "This is the official report on what had occurred over the weekend. To summarize, the airship you returned on was attacked by a flock of Griffons, causing you to crash-land in the middle of Grimm territory. You were able to defend yourself until a rescue ship found you. The exact details are in the report. Memorize it."

He flips and skims through the pages, grimacing and gawking at the amount of detail and effort put into fabricating the story. _Great, more memorization._ "Wow, whoever put this report together must really love paperwork, huh?" Glynda raises an eyebrow at his retort ill-fitted in the serious mood of the room. _Wait, there's a good chance she wrote this!_ "Err, I mean, I'll get right on to memorizing this, sir, ma'am!" He stuffs the folder in his bag before straightening his back, returning to a more serious posture.

"Good." Ozpin gives him a small nod of approval. "Now, to brief you about what had occurred while you were unconscious… Let's begin with what you are most concerned about: the status of the kidnapped children."

Jaune looks at Ozpin expectantly, becoming too conscious at the amount of sweat that has gathered on his palms. "Were they able to get out safely?"

"The White Fang group that escaped dropped them off at one of the nearly villages before releasing a SOS signal. A nearby patrol ship responded to the call and they have been returned safely to their homes."

The tension leaves his body as he feels the weight of the world dissolve off his shoulders; he slumps into the chair at the sound of the good news. The anxiety he felt a moment ago seems distant as he can not help but smile. _I did it. I saved them. I was able to play the hero._ "I'm glad. Did you check up on them before they returned? They weren't hurt in any way, right?"

"The doctors performed a thorough check up. With the danger of being kidnapped and risk of nearly killed by Grimm, their physical and mental welfare can be considered healthy. In addition, the data we retrieved and the researcher's testimonies, excluding Rable's, verifies that no experimentation were done on them before things went awry." Ozpin gives him a faint smile. "Congratulations. You saved them."

 _Something about his smile is a bit unsettling. I can't pinpoint why that is, but it just seems a bit… unnatural?_ He tries his best to return the gesture. "Thanks. Did anything else happen? Like, finding the whereabouts of the White Fang survivors?" He pauses as he attempts to recall the remaining loose ties. "That's right, the undercover agent! I wasn't able to get in contact with her before I passed out."

Glynda shoots Qrow a glare as he responds with a not-so-innocent whistle. Slightly flustered, she adjusts her glasses before answering his question. "Unfortunately, we lost track of her and the other survivors as reinforcements arrived. As we did not found her corpse within the base, we can only assume she is among the surviving White Fang, simply waiting for an opportune chance to contact us."

"I see. So there's a good chance she's still alive. That's good." Jaune lets out a sigh of relief as he attempts to leave his seat. "Well then, if that's everything, I guess I should go back and-"

Glynda snaps her riding crop on the table while giving him a glare. "Remain in your seat. You still have something to answer to." With a meep escaping from his lips, he returns to his seat. With his eyes glue to the floor, dreading what's to come, he answers with a muffled whisper of 'yes ma'am.' "During the mission, after the safety of the researchers, capture of Doctor Rable, and retrieval of the research data were all completed, I gave out the command for extraction. I have confirmed with Qrow that he relayed the order, but you, Jaune Arc, openly disobeyed and therefore compromised the mission. Do you have any objections with this report so far?"

Jaune closes his eyes for a second as he tries to muster his courage, before looking straight back at Glynda. "I will admit that I didn't follow that order, but I don't believe that I compromised the mission. We had evidence to believe that my absence would not make it any more difficult to escape."

Ozpin takes a drink from his mug before replying with piercing eyes. "Though that may be true, that decision is something for us, those in command to make, _not yours_. If you had informed us, perhaps we might have reconsidered; nevertheless, that does little to diminish the fact that you failed to follow orders."

"I didn't think you would change your mind." Jaune retorts before Ozpin can continue. "With how Qrow gave out the order, it didn't seem like there was room for consideration. And, in that situation… I don't think I would have stopped no matter what my orders were."

Unfazed by his answer, Ozpin snaps back. "And if the same situation came up? Next time, would you be able to follow through?"

The boy answers without any hesitation. "I would not."

"I see…" Ozpin taps his cane, humming in consideration as Jaune sits there, waiting for his judgment. The seconds pass, each one heightening the tension, until it felt like it hung him by the neck, suffocating and smothering him. The unnatural clicks of the cogs and machines only further unsettles him.

Finally, Ozpin's cane pauses and he cocks his head as he scrutinizes him, as if evaluating Jaune's resoluteness. "If this was a normal military institution, you would be court martialed, and your punishment would be deliberated after more consideration. However, due to our confidential nature, I have arrived at another decision." In a slow and meticulous motion, he removes a singular piece of paper from his drawer, standing up and handing it over to Jaune. "Jaune Arc, as of now, you have been discharged from the 1019 position. Return all equipment within 48 hours. You are to never disclose the details of your work, the specifics and reprimands if broken being outlined in that notice of dismissal. With that, you are free to go." Ozpin returns to his seat, looking over his work scattered through the table as if Jaune were not there.

 _What?_ It takes him a few moments to process what Ozpin just told him. As the reality of the situation sinks in, something inside him snaps. "Wait, that's it? You're not even going to consider the success of the mission? I was able to save numerous lives, many of which were endangered with no fault of their own!" He looks over at both Glynda and Qrow for some support, but the two both remain silent, refusing to endorse his statement. Glynda remains steadfast under his gaze, but Qrow seems to shift restlessly as he continues. "You're all just going to ignore the fact that my decision did more good than harm?" The initial stinging shock from the coldness of their decision slowly fades into a fiery anger, his tone growing increasingly harsh as he speaks.

"Yes." The headmaster answers without looking away from his work. The finality of his tone seems to leave no room for debate.

"I refuse to accept that!" Jaune stomps over, slamming his fist on the desk in outrage. "Are you saying that I should have left them to die?"

Once again, Ozpin replies with absolute certainty. "Yes. If you truly wished to save them, you could have waited for reinforcements. You could have elicited the researcher's help, or even drawn away the Grimm, avoiding direct confrontation. However, you jumped in without considering your consequences or alternatives." He places his cup down, staring straight at the boy, facing the youth's outrage and conviction straight on. "You were too eager to play the hero. Instead of doing what we asked of you when you first accepted the position or accepting your limits, you jumped at the first opportunity at being a hero. In the end, you were only able to keep your life because the White Fang survivors felt indebted to you." His cane slams onto the floor with the weight of adjudication and authority. "I have no need for a martyr."

The words strike at Jaune's resolve, causing him to step back, slightly overwhelmed _._ He racks his brain for an answer. _It's true. They told me from the very beginning that I had to follow their orders, and I accepted that, even though I wasn't confident that I could. But this still feels… wrong._ "I accept that the reasoning for my action may have been flawed. But, ultimately, the result was good. Doesn't that have some merit?"

"You may believe what you did was good, but from my viewpoint, I can say you did something entirely unnecessary." Ozpin stands up from his seat to meet his gaze. "What good did you do, in saving the White Fang, fundamentally terrorists that we are fighting against? What good did you do by protecting the spy, who would have accepted her death if it meant her intelligence got to us? What good did you do, in saving the children, when their deaths could have been used to fuel the anti-White Fang sentiment? From my perspective, Jaune, when you disobeyed that order, you risked your life… for absolutely no gain."

"That's bullshit!" Jaune advances forward, only vaguely considering the paper crumbling in his fist as he balls it up in anger. Blinded by rage, he stomps forward but is stopped as someone grabs him from behind. Turning around, he sees Qrow shaking his head as he restrains him. Anger unabated, Jaune turns back to the implacable figure before him, enmity overflowing in his voice. "That… that you expect any Huntsman… no, any person to accept that argument! All lives have value! I was given the chance to save them. Even if it was miniscule, improbable, I would still take that chance!"

A few seconds pass before Ozpin begins speaking again. "That's quite a naive resolution." He returns to his seat, tapping the table in contemplation. "Let's say I buy into your argument, that the end result justifies your decision. At the time, were you assured that this would be the result? Can you ensure this happens next time? What of the one after?" With a voice as cold and calculating as a machine, he asks, "can you say, with confidence, that your judgment is better than mine?"

"I…" His words trail off, wanting to answer with an egregious lie. _I can't. Of course I can't. Master may be able to, but I'm not at that level. And I'm definitely not that presumptuous._

His head slumps forward downcast as his body goes limp; as his anger and motivation vanishes, the last reserves of his energy disappears and he finds it impossible to return with a rebuttal."I can't." He gives a quiet whisper of his admission of defeat.

Ozpin gives him a nod. "Then I believe the discussion is closed."

Qrow releases Jaune from his grip. Frozen in hesitation, Jaune finds it impossible to turn around and walk away, accepting his judgment. _If I walk away now, I will be giving up my chance to follow in Master's footsteps. Maybe that choice is better, to just be a normal Huntsman, without all this consideration. Maybe I'll be happier, walking the beaten path, alongside the countless others._

 _But, right now..._

 _That is not what I want! Maybe I'll regret this choice. But seeing how much more involved, how much more I can do, I don't want to let this go! From the moment I met her, the moment I found out she died, and the moment up till now: I knew that there was one thing I wanted more than anything else! And so... I'll change._

"You're right. I admit that I'm not ready." Jaune takes a deep breath. With a stern expression, he endeavors to articulate his resolution. "Right now, I can't confidently say that my actions will always lead to a better outcome. I can't see the choices and solutions that will satisfy everyone. But that doesn't mean I can't become that person!"

He puts his hand over his chest. "I pledge that I will become that someone. I'll train and develop myself, so that one day I will be assured that my decisions will always be the correct one. Until then, I will follow the orders you give me." With his arms at his side, he gives a deep bow. "Please give me one more chance!"

Unable to see the adult's expressions, Jaune endures the smothering silence as he waits for an answer. Trying to distract himself from the discomfort, he focuses at the square tiles on the floor long enough to almost believe they have turned into circles. Finally, a dry voice breaks him out of this daze. "Well, Glynda, what is your opinion?"

With a sigh, the headmistress approaches him and answers exasperatedly. "Lift your head up, Jaune." Obeying, he looks up to see Glynda's face much too close to him. "I suppose the boy deserves another chance. Not to mention, he seems quite adamant about preserving his job."

Looking down, he is reminded of the crumpled piece of paper in his hand. Scratching his head sheepishly, he returns with a simple, heartfelt smile. "Thanks, Glynda."

"And yours, Qrow?"

"You're the boss-man." Qrow shrugs as he looks at the young man. "Though, I can say that any lesser Huntsman would have died in the same spot. Be kind of a waste if we kicked him out now, right?"

Peering over at Ozpin, Jaune tries to do his best at a puppy-face, using Ruby's as a reference. However, the headmaster's deadpan expression remains steadfast. _I feel like he just needs one last push…_ "I'll go to any social gatherings you don't want to go to?"

"With that offer and the majority's opinion, I suppose I have no choice but to give you a second chance." Not able to turn around to see Qrow or Glynda's expression, he can only infer they were amused with both his offer and how immediate Ozpin answers, as Qrow gives a strangled laugh trying not to choke on his drink and the clattering of a pen dropping to the floor following after. "It is fair to say that I cannot place the same evaluation of a Huntsman-in-training as a veteran operative. If nothing else, the mission objectives were completed." Pulling open another drawer, Ozpin takes out another piece of paper and hands it over to Jaune. "However, I would prefer if you studied under someone's tutelage…"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Glynda gives Jaune a stern look. "Qrow and I will be in charge of your instruction. And I will be strict, do you understand?"

Having been accepted, even the usual frightening expression of Glynda's and Qrow's reluctant response of "Oh, come on!" does little to ruin Jaune's good mood. "Yes, ma'am!"

"If Glynda is willing to take you under her wing, then l have no more objections."

As Jaune lets out a sigh of relief, he takes the opportunity to read the piece of paper, titled 'How to Write Post-Mission Reports,' authored by Glynda. _Wait, the paperwork comment was just a passing thought. I wonder if Ozpin and Glynda do mostly just sit in their offices and-_

"I'm sure your team is probably more than eager to reunite with you." Qrow gives him on a pat on the shoulder. "So why don't you run along and let the grownups talk for a bit?"

Glancing at Ozpin, he gives a slight nod of confirmation. Jaune mouths silently 'thank you,' to Glynda and Qrow before speed walking toward the elevator. As the doors close, he can not help but think _Well, that went better than expected._

* * *

"So, did you have to rile him up?" Qrow addresses to Ozpin as soon as the elevator doors close. "I know you're just testing him, but the kid's emotional as all hell." A slight pause. "Wouldn't surprise me if he did something stupid and roundabout to try and make up for it."

"I wanted a test of his character, but most importantly, his resolve. Thankfully, he passed." Ozpin returns to his seat and begins to type on his terminal. "I had done the same when Xenith first arrived. I'm pleasantly surprised that this time, I get to keep my table intact. I've grown rather attached to this desk, and would hate for it to suffer a similar fate."

"Still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth." Qrow takes a drink from his flask. "Well, slightly more than usual. So was all the stuff about kicking him out just bull?"

"No. If he had not defended himself, the dismissal would have stood." For a second, Ozpin looks off to the distance. Qrow has known him long enough to know he is reminiscing in a distant memory; these brief moments of vulnerability are only shown to his two close confidants, and the small windows that show Ozpin to be anything less of the cold calculating machine the public make him out to be. "I don't need operatives who will blindly follow orders without analyzing the circumstances. The claim 'I was only following orders' has been used too often as a defense for atrocities and tragedies. Perhaps if there were more willing to act on their conscience, the Faunus War would not have occurred, and our relationship with them not as strained."

"Well, there's nothing good about blatantly disobeying orders either." Glynda lets out a sigh. "I suppose it's my job to teach him the balance between the two."

"Hey, I'm still right here!" Qrow lets out a cry of objection. "Since you took it so easy on him, I still have a lot of work with all the mental kinks he has."

Glynda shoots him a rather dubious look at his claim. "Speaking from purely a professional standpoint, I hardly think you're the person to give counselling here."

"Well, unfortunately, the kid's terrified of you, and Ozpin already took the role of the bad cop, so…" Qrow looks around, giving a feigned look of surprise as he points to himself. "Look who's left over! Besides-" He returns to a more solemn expression as he rubs temple, attempting to suppress an oncoming headache. "I've seen him in action, and that gives me the most insight into him so far."

"You could simply share your insight. I still believe I am more qualified to give him that counselling."

"Yeah. And I think you'll agree with me." Qrow ruffles his hair with an annoyed expression. "There's a lot of things, but the biggest issue is that, even if he knows the right thing to do, he still goes and acts on his emotions. It's like he never went through the development to properly handle his more intense emotions." He pauses for a second as he considers how to best phrase the next problem. "The other thing is… when we arrived, I expected him to freak out about the corpses, like any rookie would. But he accepted it so dispassionately. So I assumed he had received some kind of training to get into that state of mind. Of course, I found out I was _dead_ wrong, and the moment he found out about someone's life being in danger, even the enemy, that's when he lost it. Ozpin, you already know this, but he recklessly throws himself into situations, like he doesn't value his own life all that much." He takes a lengthy chug of his drink. "He's a big ball of contradiction."

Ozpin nods in agreement. "I have been reading more of Xenith's reports, and those observations have all been noted. I would prefer if he was more stable, but…" Glynda responds with a modest nod of agreement, and Qrow gives a wry chuckle. "Every 1019 has been trouble."

Directly his gaze towards Glynda, Qrow continues. "What he needs right now isn't an authority figure telling him what's right or wrong, or even what to do. He just needs someone to talk to and work out his discrepancies."

With much reluctance, Glynda nods in confirmation. "Of course, you still have your own responsibilities." She lowers her gaze at Qrow, not-so-subtly hiding her indignation towards him. "I am still expecting a full report from you."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get that to you. Since I'll be transferring here anyway, you'll have plenty of time to nag me about that."

"Transferring?" Glynda gives him a look of disbelief. "I understand you are to train him, but-"

"It's not just that." Taking a seat, Qrow tosses a memory disk onto Ozpin's table. "Now that the base is vacated, I went back with a finer comb to see if we missed anything. Considering it was originally a supply depot, most of the information's useless. The only thing that's notable is that they're moving a lot of Dust around. And I mean an actual _metric fuckton_."

"We have known for awhile that the White Fang has been targeting Dust shipments, but we have been pursuing these raiders aggressively for a while now." She scoffs at him. "I see no reason why this is distressing."

"Yeah, if they were just stealing for profit. But there's two problems with this." Qrow points at the disk. "First of all, they're moving the Dust like they're intending to use it all. Now, I'm not exactly the best at math, but I know when there's too many zeros for a bake sale. Second-" His finger draws a circle lazily. "It's all been moving all around Vale, in an organized fashion. We've all known the White Fang has never been monolith, and this makes it even stranger. If something big is happening in Vale-" his feet taps on the ground as he points downwards. "I have to be here."

"Very well." Ignoring Glynda's look of silent protest, Ozpin nods in agreement. "Considering you will be working with Glynda in Jaune's education, I will assign you as Glynda's assistant."

"Got it." Qrow flashes her a smile. "Always knew I'd end up being stuck with a kid. Just didn't think it would be with you."

"Didn't you raise your nieces-"

"Yup. Speaking of which, I guess I should go tell them the good news." He gets up and begins walking towards the elevator. "Even if I won't be using it much, I still expect you to assign me a half-decent room."

"I'll… see what I can do." She starts tapping on her own scroll. "Until then, return to Signal and inform them of your transfer."

"Mmm." As Qrow steps into the elevator, he pauses with some slight hesitation, before turning around looking slightly embarrassed. "Ozpin, I know you probably have a lot on your plate, but… Please try and help keep the damned kid from killing himself. I've seen too many like him die meaninglessly. It'd be nice to keep this one… Damn, I must be really drunk to be saying this…" He mashes the button on the elevator, trying to hasten its decent.

Ozpin's lips curl up in amusement and Glynda gives away a small, choked sound beside him. However, unable to properly answer that request, the elevator doors close without Ozpin's reply, leaving behind only a pragmatic silence.

* * *

"One, two, three, four-" Unable to suppress his giddiness, Jaune hops and skips his way back to the dorm, all the while reading the folder. A few curious students give him a strange look as he does so, but their gazes do little to dampen his euphoria.

Reaching the front of his room, he pauses for a second as he takes out his scroll. _It's about 5:30 right now, so I'm just in time to grab dinner with my team. I haven't seen them in awhile, so I should really make an entrance when I get back. Something like…_

Swiping the scroll on the lock, he turns the knob as he tries his best to be suave. "Death has once again-" Before he can finish one-liner, he is hit with a two hundred pound speeding bullet; the momentum carries the two masses tumbling out into the hallway, slamming into the door opposite their room. As the door swings open, he tilts his head upward to reveal Blake looking down on the two. With her eyes containing nothing but scorn, she closes the door as if accepting this as 'normal' for him.

The girl above him decides to give him a forceful squeeze; he was unsure if the resounding _crack_ after was a hallucination or not. However, he is convinced he should not give her another chance to confirm which it was. "Nora, off! I don't really care about my reputation anymore, but I don't want to be a frequent visitor to the ER."

Nora releases him and cheerfully skips backwards, giving a smile and reply that lacks remorse of any degree. "Welcome back, Jaune! So, are you all better now? Didja get a few badass war scars to show off for it? I always thought the scars over the eyes were pretty cool."

Wiping the dust off his clothes, he stands back up. "I'm fine, thanks. And no, I didn't get any scars from the mission." _Wait, did she tackle me without even checking if I was okay?!_ "Is everyone else inside? I'll explain it then."

"Yups!"

Following behind her, he reenters the room. This time, he can see Pyrrha sitting on her bed and Ren at his desk. _Well, I lost the chance to look cool, so…_ "I'm back."

"Welcome back." Ren greets him stoically, with only a small nod of acknowledgement. Without another word, he walks over the kitchen and starts boiling some water, tossing some strange greenery in there. _Oh. Oh no._

Pyrrha returns with a troubled smile. "We're glad you're back. How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore, but nothing a good night's sleep won't be able to fix." He takes a quick look around the room. _It looks different from when I last saw it. Like… a lot more organized? I guess I am generally the one that makes the room a mess, so that would make sense._ "Did I miss anything while I was gone?"

For a brief second, Pyrrha looks away as if she feels guilty about something, but it was so swift that he thought he imagined it. "Not much. You have a few lessons and assignments to catch up on, but the teachers all gave extensions after hearing about your injuries." She hesitates, as if unsure to ask or not; letting out a sigh, she decides to brave the waters anyway. "So, what happened?"

"I'll explain in detail over dinner. The basic jist of it is that the airship I was in crashed, and I fought off a boatload of Grimm before the rescue party got to me." Looking at expressions on his teammates, he realizes no one buys his story. "Well, it's the truth." He begins walking over to his closet to grab a change of clothes, realizing how much sweat and body odor has clung to them.

"I'm not the type to say this," Nora speaks out. "Wait. I totally am! I totally called it! When you said you were leaving on Ozpin's mission, I absolutely positively knew you would run into some kind of trouble. Yes, you are totally the type of person to enter a building and leave it in ruins." Crossing her arms over her chest, she closes her eyes and nods confidently. "Mmm. Mmm. I wouldn't be surprised if the windows you pass by on our way to the cafeteria catches on fire. Yuppers, we are one of the few! We are the precursors to destruction and ruin!"

Reaching the front of his closet, Jaune turns around to give her a look of incredulity. "Nora, it doesn't count if you're the one causing that destruction. In my case, I'm not the… cause…" His words trail off as he loses his confidence in his statement. _Wait… am I?_ As he turns back around to open his closet, he catches the guilty expression on Pyrrha's face again. _Huh, so I didn't imagine it. What happened while I was gone?_ He reaches out on the hangers for one of his t-shirts, but just stops when he realizes what is in its place. "Pyr?"

"Yes, Jaune?"

"Where did all my t-shirts go?"

"Ah… about that…"

Nora interjects energetically. "Yang took them!"

"Damn it, Yang!" _Wait, I didn't mean to say that out loud!_ "Haaa… that girl really doesn't have a sense of privacy. I feel kinda bad about the girls she's sharing a room with." He shuffles through the hangers, looking for any of his t-shirts, to no avail. "So, why did she do that?"

"When she was looking through your stuff, she said it was a waste that all you wore was those t-shirts, jeans, and hoodies all the time, when you have all those nice clothes. So she took them all." Nora looks at him as he pulls out one of the collared button-up shirts. "She's not wrong, ya know."

"She looked through my stuff?" He glances at the bottom of the closet to see that his suitcase remains unlocked. Letting out a sigh of both exasperation and relief, he grabs a random pair of slacks as he walks toward the bathroom. "Well, at least now I know what she apologized for. And how she got dirt on the rest of team RWBY."

"You're not… angry?" Pyrrha asks, insecurity hanging in her voice.

"Of course not. It's not like you guys encouraged her or anything, right?" With his answer, Pyrrha relaxes, her expression softening up. _Was that what she was worried about?_ "Well, I would still like to know exactly what happened, but, no, I'm not angry. Besides, I know about how persistent Yang can be." _And her own forceful way of showing concern._ "You guys probably couldn't have stopped her even if you tried."

"I didn't try," Nora answers, once again, without a visage of guilt.

"I should be angry at you, but at this point, I feel like it's par for the course." He steps into the bathroom. "We can talk about it more during dinner."

"Aye aye, boss-man!" She gives him the most unconvincing salute ever.

Looking in the mirror, he clumsily fumbled through the unfamiliar clothes, finding it difficult to aligning the buttons correctly, Once he dons on the shirt and trousers, he notices the distinct different feeling of wearing loose clothing as opposed to fitted clothing. He contemplates taking a shower and putting on some cologne to match his attire, but ultimately decides against it. _Wouldn't want to keep them waiting for too long._ The formality and tightness of clothes annoy him, but after doing a twirl in front of the mirror, he does admire how good they look on him and he pushes that out of his mind. _Remind me to drop by and thank Melanie and Miltia. These clothes are really well coordinated._ Seeing how nice his clothes look, he decides to to put on the tie from his uniform to match his attire.

Stepping out, he sees the rest of his team waiting for him, giving him a strange look. "Does it look that weird on me?"

"Well, if you want the truth-" Pyrrha puts her hand over Nora's mouth, stopping her from saying anymore. "Mrgul Rly."

"It looks fine, Jaune." Seeing that Nora got the message, Pyrrha lets her hand go from her face. "Your tie is just slightly loose. Let me fix that."

"Thanks." He stands still as she adjusts the tie for him. "You know, I've always thought nice clothes like these should be saved for a special occasion. For more of the shock and awe moment. Maybe I should just ask Yang-"

"N-no!" Pyrrha gives him a smile to reassure him. "It looks good on you. You should get some practice to… be more comfortable, when you do need to dress formally."

"Hmm…" _I guess she's right. I did promise I would go to parties for Ozpin. Guessing the dress code won't fly with a t-shirt and jeans._ "Okay, I'll take your word for it."

"Is your little honeymoon routine over? I'm starving!" Nora runs out of the room without waiting for an answer.

"Right." As he steps away and begins walking towards the door, Ren stops in front of him, with a glass cup in hand. Instead of a bubbling liquid like from before, the cup this time holds a viscous drink. The color is a mixture of purple and green, with some unidentifiable particles slowly drifting around.

"Drink." Ren puts the cup in his hand.

Looking at the questionable liquor, Jaune tries his hardest to hide his revulsion. _Gotta find an excuse._ "Nora already left, shouldn't we-"

"Drink."

"Maybe… after dinner?" He tries to sidestep past Ren, but gets intercepted.

"Drink." Ren holds his stoic expression, still not taking no for an answer.

"Umm… are you angry? I know I said that-"

"We talked about this. As your teammates, we have to ensure your wellbeing. And you need medicine when you get injured." His eyes narrow at him. "You got hurt. Now. Drink."

 _He's totally angry! He's totally holding a grudge over how much I injure myself._ "Ugh… if it makes you feel better…" Taking the glass, he empties it over his mouth. Instead of saying that he drank it, it is more accurate to say the solid and liquid mixture reluctantly obeyed the law of gravity, sliding down his gullet with the speed of a paint drying. Despite being the drink being warm, it leaves a cold biting afterburn in his throat. "Disgusting."

"We have a proverb that, good medicine tastes bitter."

"It… wasn't bitter." Just imagining the drink again makes Jaune feel a bit queasy.

"Which is why it is just a proverb." Ren walks out the door. "Of course, if you wish to test the-"

"No thank you!" He follows behind Pyrrha leaving the room. "I'll try and take better care of myself." Turning around, he takes one more look at the room before turning off the lights. _Despite all that has happened, it's so nice how everything still feels so.. comfortable on my return. Sure, I've only been here a few weeks, but I really felt like I've come home. Spontaneous Nora, worrywart Pyrrha, and stoic Ren._ He closes the door with a soft smile on his face. _Yeah, we're going to be just fine._


End file.
